868.00/7–1545
No. 453
The Secretary General of the
British Delegation (Hayter) to the Assistant Secretary of State
(Dunn)
Dear Dunn, Since I wrote to you last night1 about the Greek elections we have heard from the Foreign Office that the Greek Government have agreed with the proposals made to them by the British and American representatives in Athens. The way is therefore open for invitations to be issued to the Soviet and French Governments. The Foreign Office have suggested to the State Department that the invitation to the Russians might be made to their representatives here on July 17th or 18th. This should give time for a Soviet reply to be received and for consideration of any action which might then be required by our two Governments before the end of Terminal . The invitation to the French Government could be made in Paris on the same day.
The Foreign Office have proposed to the State Department a draft wording for the invitation, as follows:
“Article 59 [9] of the agreement signed at Varkiza on February 12th between representatives of the Greek Government and representatives of E. A. M. provides for the supervision by observers from the Great Allied Powers of the plebiscite and elections to be held in Greece. In view of this Article and of the undertakings towards the liberated countries assumed by His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government in the declaration signed in the Crimea on February 11th His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government are prepared to appoint observers to supervise the forthcoming plebiscite and elections in Greece. The Greek Government have agreed and have also agreed to the suggestion put forward by His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government that the Soviet Government and the Provisional Government of France should be invited to share their responsibility in the supervision of the Greek plebiscite and elections. His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government hope that the Soviet Government (Provisional Government of France) will agree to participate in joint supervision of the Greek plebiscite and elections. [”]
Yours sincerely,
- Letter not found.↩