868.00/9–2045
The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Bevin) to the Secretary of State 23
Dear Mr. Byrnes: Before he left England, the Regent of Greece emphasised to me the great importance which he attaches to the influence which our three Ambassadors in Athens can exercise on the Greek political leaders. He is most anxious that our representatives in Greece should impress upon the Greek politicians the need for them to cooperate over the forthcoming elections. The Regent is confident that the political leaders will listen to advice from our three Governments [Page 160] and will form a united front which would give some promise of a stable government being formed in Greece. I very much hope, therefore, that you will ask the United States Ambassador in Athens to concert action with his British and French colleagues in this sense. Such action is, as you know, provided for in the joint statement about the elections in Greece, which has just been issued by our three Governments. Appropriate instructions are being sent to His Majesty’s Ambassador in Athens.
I am sending a similar letter to M. Bidault.
Yours sincerely,
- The Secretary of State replied to this letter on September 24 as follows: “I fully agree with the views expressed in your letter of September 20, 1945, suggesting that the British, French, and American Ambassadors in Athens impress upon the Greek politicians the need for cooperation over the forthcoming elections, and have been glad to instruct our Ambassador in this sense”. (868.00/9–2045) For the Secretary’s telegraphic instruction to the Ambassador in Greece, see telegram 9875, September 24, from London, p. 161.↩