United Nations Press Release, Speech of the Australian Foreign Minister on the Greek Situation
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U N I T E D N A T I o N S
Department of Public Information
Press and Publications Bureau
Lake Success, New York
Press Release PM/597
6 October 1947
SPEECH OF THE AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (DR. EVATT)
ON THE GREEK QUESTION
COMMITTEE NO. 1 (POLITICAL) OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MONDAY
6 OCTOBER 1947
As the background to our consideration of the present situation in
Greece, let us keep firmly in mind the epic fortitude shown by the Greek
State and the Greek people in resistance against the Italians and Germans
in -1941. At that crucial time political differences in Greece were put
aside and a united front was established against the invaders. Everyone
knows that as a result of the successful Greek resistance to Italy carried
on to the subsequent resistance to Germany, the German attack on Russia was
considerably delayed. Instead of gratitude from the Soviet Union, we find
that country engaged in a systematic campaign of vituperation against Greece.
Years of Disruption in Greece
For Greece the consequences of the axis invasion followed by the German
and Bulgarian occupation were tragic. The greatest misfortune was that, when
Greece was liberated in 1944, unity was not restored to face the great task of
post-war reconstruction. Instead a small section of the Greek people attemp-
ted by force to impose its will and its ideology on the majority.
In the result Greece has for seven years been disrupted by invasion,
enemy occupation, and internal conflict. The Greek people are fully entitled
to some chance of stability and to an opportunity to work out for themselves
their own restoration without unwelcome and improper interference from
outside,
In particular the new Greek Government should be encouraged and support-
ed by the representatives of the United Nations in this General Assembly,
rather than condomned, because in its desperate need it has requested and
received advice and hely-flem the United Kingdor and. the United States. From
the side of those who in this Committee have been active in vituperation and
abuse of Greece and the Greek Government, we have listened in vain for any
sign of recognition of the great and unselfish record in war and in peace of
the United Kingdom and the United Statos, and especially for any acknowledg-
ment of the immense contribution which the United States has made to
European relief and reconstruction, Instead the Committee has heard only
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