765.68/278: Telegram
The Minister in Greece ( MacVeagh ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 23—8:50 a.m.]
208. The Italian Minister visited the Foreign Office yesterday and, according to the political [apparent omission] whom I saw this [Page 536] morning, only registered some new complaints regarding the handling of the Italian point of view in the Greek press. The Italian press and radio continues to attack Greece, the latest charges being that Greek authorities have been preparing armed bands for several months with a view to acting against the Albanians in Western Epirus and the Greek Government has issued a statement through the Athens press agency denying this categorically at some length.
The Director General mentioned concentration of Italian forces on the Greek frontier as continuing and this was confirmed to me by the British Military Attaché last night who estimated, however, that the total Italian strength in Albania still remains somewhere in the neighborhood of 140,000 including laborers.
The Turkish Military Attaché here is returning to duty with troops and being replaced by the former Military Attaché in Paris. During his final call on me today he gave me his personal views of the situation to the effect that the Italians intend to take action without much further delay and that the Greeks will resist. As to possible Turkish assistance to the country in such event, his tone was much more positive than when I last saw him (see my telegram No. 195, August 13, 6 p.m.21).
- Not printed.↩