868.00/12–1644: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 17—2:06 p.m.]
153. British Ambassador has just told me that while Sophoulis as head of the Liberal Party telegraphed the King yesterday supporting the proposal to name the Archbishop as Regent (see my 150, December 15, noon) Papandreou unexpectedly failed to concur and persuaded the Cabinet that a better idea would be to have a regency council of three composed of the Archbishop, Plastiras and Dragoumis, present Under Minister for Foreign Affairs. A telegram carrying this recommendation has, therefore, also gone to the King. It is obvious that if this council of three were to be set up it would strengthen Papandreou’s chances of retaining the Premiership since it would remove the possibility of competition from Plastiras and the naming of the Royalist Dragoumis would appear to have been included as a bait to secure the King’s acceptance. However, both Leeper and Macmillan are much alarmed as well as disgusted at this recrudescence of political maneuvering at this critical time and believe—as I feel correctly—that passions can now be calmed only by the appointment of a single Chief of State enjoying the confidence of the people and by an act which will completely and clearly remove the King question from the present picture. They have, therefore, telegraphed Churchill that he should at all costs and today, if possible, persuade the King to appoint the Archbishop as sole Regent. [Page 159] Meanwhile the battle of Athens continues with the British forces consolidating their new reinforcements at Piraeus and Kalamai and preparing an onward movement to Athens where at present they remain on the defensive.
Repeated to Caserta.