290. Backchannel Message From the Ambassador to Greece (Tasca) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Sisco)1
Athens, August 27, 1970.
- 1.
- In the course of an informal discussion with the Prime Minister on 8 August, which was reported in Athens 4388,2 I told the Prime Minister that speaking personally it was my view that if the GOG fixed an election date—although I had nothing specific in mind—we would want to be as helpful as possible and appropriate in helping him in his efforts to prevent a return to the chaos of pre-April 1967 situation.
- 2.
- I did this as a means of laying the ground work for our proposal that we provide advice [less than 1 line not declassified] on the organization of political parties, etc., which would have the effect of encouraging the regime to implement fully the 1968 Constitution.3 Such a statement in itself would have the positive effect of helping to assure him that we are not leading him down path of elections with the hidden aim of reestablishing an unimproved version of the pre-April 1967 political system.
- Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Greece, 1969–1972. Secret. No time of transmission is indicated on the message.↩
- Telegram 4388 from Athens, August 10, reported that Tasca had stressed the need to end martial law and hold early elections to Papadopoulos. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 593, Country Files—Middle East, Greece, Vol. I Jan 69–Oct 70)↩
- See Document 286.↩