Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The Near East and Africa, Volume VIII

740.00119 E.W./12545

The Greek Embassy to the Department of State ⁴⁰

No. 4733

Washington, December 5, 1945.

The Vice President of the Greek Government and Minister of Economic Coordination, Mr. E. Tsouderos, has addressed to the Ambassadors of the United States and of Great Britain in Athens a letter submitting a plan for substantial assistance to Greece in order to meet and alleviate its most difficult economic and financial present problem.

This Embassy has received instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urgently to contact the State Department and to stress that, considering the existing psychological outlook of the Greek people, the only escape from the present economic and financial impasse is the granting of the assistance asked for, and its public announcement as an integral part of the general program of the Greek Government.

This Embassy hopes that the aforesaid letter of Mr. Tsouderos has already reached the Department of State⁴¹ and that owing to its importance it will be given prompt and favorable consideration.

40. Handed to the Under Secretary of State (Acheson) by the Greek Ambassador on December 7.
41. In a memorandum of December 7, 1945, William O. Baxter of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs stated that he had informed the Greek Ambassador that the Department had received only a telegraphic summary of the letter and that the Ambassador had promised to supply a full translation (740.00119 EW/12–745). For telegraphic summary, see telegram 1383, December 1, 4 p.m., from Athens, p. 274; for translation of text, see memorandum from the Greek Embassy, infra.