868.00/8–1545
The First Secretary of the British Embassy
(Tandy) to Mr. William O.
Baxter of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs
Washington, August 15,
1945.
Dear Mr. Baxter: I enclose herewith a
paraphrase of a telegram received from the Foreign Office on the subject
of the Greek elections.
We are informing London that the appropriate United States
representatives have their instructions and that the Department approve
the date of the announcement, August 20th, with notification of the
Soviet Government on August 19th.
I understand that, since the possibility of associating the French in any
advice given to the Regent about the timing of the plebiscite and the
election has not been raised with United States representatives abroad,
there is no danger of action being taken on these lines. I look forward
to receiving your considered views on this question, concerning which
there is less immediate urgency.
Yours sincerely,
[Enclosure]
Paraphrase of a Telegram Received From the
Foreign Office, Dated August 14, 1945
The United States Embassy have shown us the American text. We
recommend and also agree to public statement by the four governments
though they should not be identical. Statement in Parliament will
probably be made on August 20th and I shall use text given in my
telegram of August 11th.
The United States Embassy are being informed accordingly and are
being asked to recommend to the United States Government that an
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approach should now be
made without delay to the French and Greek Governments. I trust that
the State Department will be able to send the United States
representatives in Paris and Athens immediate instructions so that
action can be taken in both places at the latest by August 16th. I
suggest that the Soviet Government should be informed about the
forthcoming announcement on August 19th.
I should prefer not to associate the French in any advice we may give
to the Regent about the timing of the plebiscite and the election.
If we had to discuss this with the French it would inevitably be the
cause of some delay and might also increase risk of our approach
becoming known in public. I am anxious that our advice should be
given in a marked manner and in strict confidence and that it should
be confined to the Regent and should not be passed to the Greek
[Prime?] Minister or [any?] Political leader. You will have seen
from paragraph 3 of Athens telegram90 that this attitude
accords with the Regent’s own views.
