868.51/1617
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray)90
After discussing with you the request of the Greek Minister, as set forth in the attached memorandum,91 I called Mr. Diamantopoulos by telephone on Saturday afternoon last and spoke to him as follows.
I stated that while this Government had, of course, every sympathy for Greece in her present struggle and were lending her substantial aid, I felt sure the Minister would understand that a suggestion of this kind might place us in an embarrassing situation. While we entertained the most cordial feelings toward General Metaxas, if we acceded to the present request that he be permitted to address a message direct to American citizens of Hellenic origin and to the Greek Language Press in this country, we might thereby be establishing a precedent which would make it difficult to deny similar requests from other Chiefs of State in Europe with whose policies this Government is by no means in agreement.
[Page 608]The Minister said he understood fully our point of view and thought it entirely logical. He then informed me and only then that this suggestion had not come from his Government but had been his own and that there would, therefore, be no necessity to take the matter up with his Government.