868.24/157

Memorandum by Mr. Charles Bunn, Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State, to the Assistant Secretary of State (Acheson)

Mr. Acheson: Mr. Murray,80 Mr. George Allen,81 and I spoke briefly to the Greek Minister Thursday afternoon, July 2, with the following result:

(1)
The text of the Lend-Lease agreement delivered by the Secretary to the Greek Minister on June 8 is acceptable.
(2)
The Prime Minister will be here on July 10, and desires the signature to occur on that day. Mr. Barnes82 has been notified and will have the papers ready.
(3)
The “financial requirements of the Greek Government” which the Minister has in mind are connected not with any payment to [Page 815] be made for Lend-Lease goods, but with the needs of the Greek Government for financial assistance discussed in a memorandum which the Prime Minister has sent to the Under Secretary.83 It was explained to the Minister that under the Lend-Lease Act, the President has authority to make available goods, services, or information, but not money, and that therefore any discussion of these financial requirements must be outside the orbit of Lend-Lease. The Minister indicated again that the Prime Minister will wish to discuss these financial requirements when he comes.

Charles Bunn
  1. Wallace Murray, Adviser on Political Relations.
  2. Of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs.
  3. Charles M. Barnes, Chief of the Treaty Division.
  4. Dated June 15, p. 798.