4. Freedom for American philanthropic and educa- tional organizations to carry on their activities in the respective countries on the basis of most favored-nation treatment. 5. General protection of American citizens and the protection and furtherance of legitimate American econo- mic rights, existing or potential. The United States should also be prepared to partici- pate through recommendation in territorial settlements of questions involving general security. Since each of the Balkan countries presents separate problems, the solution of which would carry forward the ideas expressed above, separate papers have been prepared discussing them. There are two correlated questions which may shortly require attention, with reference to the whole Southern European region; namely, the project for a union of Bul- garia with Yugoslavia, and the agitation for an integral Macedonia. Both of these questions really involve con- sideration of the scheme for a Balkan federation. The British Government has just informed us that it would wel- come such a grouping, to include both allied and enemy states, and possibly to include Turkey, but would not favor an exclusive union or federation involving only Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, since this would be unlikely to promote the larger grouping and would also isolate Greece and endan- ger her position. As regards Macedonia the British Govern- ment is willing to acquiesce in the formation of a Mace- donian state as a federal unit in Yugoslavia provided only territories previously belonging to Yugoslavia are in- volved leaving the "Macedonia" parts of Bulgaria and Greece to these respective countries. The British have also communicated these views to the Soviet Government. The De- partment is now considering its reply to this communica- tion. Our present thinking is generally in line with the British attitude. |