868.24/126
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. George V. Allen of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs
I referred to the Greek Minister’s letter to Mr. Welles of February 27, 1941 and asked Mr. Condouriotis whether his Government had approached the Argentine authorities in this matter. Mr. Condouriotis said that no official approach had been made but that the Greek Minister had satisfied himself, through informal conversations, that an official request by the Greek Government to purchase the ammunition would be refused. Mr. Condouriotis said that the ammunition is manufactured in the Argentine by a Schneider factory located there and that, according to his understanding, the shells desired are already in stock in the Argentine. He said that the reason for the Argentine Government’s disinclination to sell the ammunition to Greece was due to the presence of a large number of German and Italian residents in the Argentine, who would make difficulties for the Government in the event Argentina should sell ammunition to Italy’s opponent in the Greek-Italian war. He expressed the opinion that the Argentine Government might be willing to sell the ammunition to Greece if the Government of the United States would express an interest in the matter, pointing out the interest and support of the United States in the successful resistance by Greece to Italian aggression, and making reference to the desirability of a united stand by American Republics on this point.
I pointed out that his present request was not for the American Government to ask the Argentine Government to sell the shells direct to Greece, but for the United States Army to buy the shells and sell them to Greece. Mr. Condouriotis said that whichever action we considered most likely to result in the Greek Government’s obtaining the ammunition would be entirely satisfactory to the Legation.
March 5, 1941.
I related the above to Mr. Wilson,88 U–L, who had meanwhile received the War Department’s letter of March 4,89 suggesting that a private American firm might purchase the ammunition from the Argentine and resell it to Greece. At Mr. Wilson’s suggestion, I telephoned Mr. Condouriotis again, pointed out the difficulties and [Page 700] delay which might be entailed in any effort by our War Department to buy this ammunition, and suggested that the possibility of purchase and resale by a private American firm be explored. Mr. Condouriotis said that this means of obtaining the ammunition would also be satisfactory if found possible of execution. He said the Legation would explore the possibilities and inform us of the results.