Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Soviet Union, Eastern Mediterranean, Volume XXIV

306. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree) to the Secretary of State¹

Washington, May 8, 1957.

SUBJECT

• Richards Mission—Greece, April 28-May 2²

Discussion

In spite of the short notice (the Greek Government was notified on April 26 that Ambassador Richards intended to be in Greece on April 28 on his way to Bonn), arrangements were made and the Mission was well received by the Greek Government. The Mission consulted with Prime Minister Karamanlis and other Government officials. It was evident that the Prime Minister’s prime concern was in obtaining greater recognition of the role he considered Greece could play in the Middle East and in getting United States moral and economic support for this role. The Prime Minister stated that he thought the United States underestimated Greek potentialities in this respect, and having invested large amounts of money and much effort to make Greece strong, the United States had failed to utilize the results of this investment. He indicated particularly that Greece’s long history of trade with the Middle East, the numerous Greek colonies in Arab states, the influence of the Greek Orthodox Church, the association of Greek and Middle East military in a spirit of confidence, the lack of Arab fear of Greece because of the latter’s lack of imperialist ambitions, and the fact that Greece could serve as a show window of the results of American friendship and aid were all factors which emphasized the potential of Greece in playing an important role in the Middle East.

The Greek Government further was quite critical of United States policy in its emphasis on Turkish influence and in promoting the Baghdad Pact. They insisted the Pact is a bad influence and expressed the hope that the American Doctrine³ would eventually take the place of the Pact.

The Government heartily endorsed the American Doctrine and, as indicated below, was quite willing to emphasize the importance of United States aid and of cooperation with us.

Commitments

During the discussions Ambassador Richards indicated that no material aid for Greece was contemplated in connection with his Mission and the Greek Government made no request for such assistance. Therefore, no commitments were made.

Communiqué

A joint communiqué, issued on May 2,⁴ stressed the danger of international communism and the necessity for cooperation in the free world. It also pointed out the necessity for improving the economies of the weaker nations and the fact that Greece, with her ten years of experience with American aid and cooperation, demonstrates the desirability of such assistance in preserving the national independence of the countries of the Middle East.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.158U/5–1057. Secret. Drafted on May 6 by Lathram.
2. On March 12, James P. Richards left the United States for a 57-day mission to the Middle East. Richards visited 15 countries as part of an effort to explain the President’s proposals on economic and military assistance to Middle Eastern countries, which he had presented to Congress in January.
3. In a statement on January 5 before a joint session of Congress, President Eisenhower requested legislative authority to authorize military and economic assistance to countries in the Middle Eastern area that requested aid. The measures that the President proposed also included the employment of the armed forces of the United States “to secure and protect the territorial integrity and political independence of such nations, requesting such aid, against overt armed aggression from any nation controlled by International Communism.” The President’s message, introduced into the House of Representatives on January 5 as H.J. Res. 117 and into the Senate on January 9 as S.J. Res. 19, was approved by Congress and signed by the President on March 9. The Middle East resolution became popularly known as the American Doctrine or Eisenhower Doctrine. For texts of the initial resolution and its amended version, see AFP: Current Documents, 1957, pp. 783–830.
4. For text of the joint communiqué issued in Athens on May 2, see ibid., p. 848.