Ext 6116/46(S) 'Secret Weekly Political Intelligence Summaries, nos 356-416, August 1946-November 1947' [‎470v] (958/978)

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M. Kardelj’s allegations regarding Greek designs on Albania were instantly and
publicly denounced by M. Tsaldaris, tlhe latter is accused of aiming at the dis
memberment of Albania and of having proposed to Yugoslavian personalities in
Paris that they should divide up Albania. Greece is furthermore accused of an
expansionist policy against not only Albania but also Yugoslavia and Bulgaria
and throughout the Greek claims to northern Epirus are dismissed with contempt.^
Though the latter claim probably comes only second to that of the Dodecanese 1
in the mind of the Greek people, the article concludes with the assertion that
the latter are “not interested in the dismemberment of Albania.” (See also
under “Greece.”)
Following the Soviet note to Turkey of the 8 th August, the Soviet grievances
regarding the Straits' regime since 1920 have been aired at length in Pravda and
Izvestiya. One of the articles, entitled “The problem of the Dardanelles” was
signed by Academician Ivanov, a specialist in naval history who recently returned
to Moscow after a prolonged visit to the U.S.A. and this country. Ivanov outlined
the history of the control of the Dardanelles, making a special point of the alleged
passage of German warships through the Straits during both world wars and of
Allied warships during the civil war and “ intervention in South Russia. The
various treaties on the control of the Dardanelles were also severely criticised
while the Montreux Convention was alleged to have facilitated grave abuses to
the detriment of the Black Sea States and especially of the Soviet Union. All
this led up to the final Soviet argument that the vital interests of the Black Sea
States demand cessation of interference by non-Black Sea powers and the control
of the Straits and the exclusion of the naval forces of non-Black Sea powers from
the Black Sea.
The visit to the Vatican by the Delegation of the Arab Higher Committee
of Palestine provided yet another occasion for Moscow radio (in Arabic) to recall
old scores against the' Pope and Papal policy before and during the war. The
gist of the attack was the hackneyed gibe to the effect that ‘ ‘ the head of the
Catholic Church did not lift a finger when German Fascism annihilated millions
of people in death camps ” or bombed peaceful, open cities .... The Arabs
were chided for their naivety in consulting the Pope on ‘ £ this vital question of
Palestine suffering from disorder, intrigues and unrest, manufactured by the
Imperialists ” (sic). “The humble submission of the Arab representatives at the
feet of the Pope will result in nothing but a deterioration of the morale of the
Arab movement.”
The Praesidium of the U.S.S.R. Supreme Council has announced the appoint
ment of a new Soviet Minister to Finland and of a new Soviet Ambassador to
Belgium. Both are career diplomats. The new Minister to Finland, M. Alexander
Nikitich Abramov (replacing M. Orlov) holds the Order of Labour Red Banner
and was formerly Head of the Fifth European Department of the People’s
Commissariat of Foreign Affairs (Scandinavia and Iceland). M. A. P. Pavlov,
the new Soviet Ambassador to Belgium, also holds the Labour Red Banner Order
for outstanding services to the Soviet State, was Head of the Legal Department
of the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs before being appointed Soviet
representative on the Allied Control Commission in Roumania in January 1945,
a post he relinquished some months later to take over the headship of the Fourth
European Department of the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs (Poland
and Czechoslovakia).
A new Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary A diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador. The term can be shortened to 'envoy'. of the Mongolian
People’s Republic in the person of Mr. Naidkhuzian Idamzab, was accredited
to the Soviet Union on the 20th July. The former representative, M. Sambu, was
scarcely known to the other members of the diplomatic corps in Moscow, living,
as he did, in strict seclusion and taking no part in general diplomatic activities.
(See also Summary No. 349.)
The valuable political services rendered by the Orthodox Church to the
Soviet State in recent years have been recognised in the decree of the Presidium
of the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. conferring the Order of the Red Banner
of Labour on Patriarch Alexius of Moscow and All-Russia for “ outstanding
services in the organisation of patriotic work during the Great Patriotic War.”
SCANDINAVIA.
Finland.
On the 15th August the Paris Conference heard the Finnish Foreign Minister
put forward the views of his country’s delegation on the draft peace treaty with
Finland. After mentioning the losses of Karelia and Petsamo and the lease
of the Porkkala area, M. Enckell continued by saying that the great importance