Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, The Far East, Volume V

868.01/429: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, January 4, 1944—3 p.m.
[Received 8:45 p.m.]

19. The Greek Ambassador² informed me today that he has received note from the Soviet Government to the effect that in view of assurances which the Soviet Government has received from the British Government regarding the possibility of achieving unity among the Greek guerrillas, the Soviet Government supports the efforts of Greek Government to form a united front in Greece against the common enemy (see my telegram No. 1, January 3, 9 a.m.³).

As the British Minister⁴ received negative reply to the two appeals he made to Molotov prior to my delivery of your message, I infer that your message influenced the decision.

Harriman

2. Athanasios Politis.
3. Not printed; in the last paragraph of this telegram (860N.00/242), Ambassador Harriman reported that he had informed Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs Molotov of Secretary Hull’s message to Greek Prime Minister Tsouderos. The message referred to was that of December 23, 1943, supporting Tsouderos’ attempts to achieve unity among the partisan groups in Greece; for text, see telegram Greek Series 67, Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. iv, p. 164. For correspondence concerning the outbreak of fighting among the Greek partisans, see ibid., pp. 154 ff., passim.
4. John Balfour, Chargé d’Affaires.