740.00119 Council/8–1646: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at Paris
priority
4175. Secdel 692. For the Secretary. Urtel 4054, Delsec 824.54 In view inadequate size present Greek Electoral List Mission to assume [Page 192] much larger task observing plebiscite and impossibility procuring necessary additional personnel, transportation, etc. between now and Sept 1, Dept considers it entirely impracticable accede to Greek request.
Brit Emb has informed Dept similar FonOff negative decision this subject and suggestion direct to Brit Delegation Paris that after consultation with you Greek Prime Minister Tsaldaris should be informed negative decision and public statement made at once if there is time to do so before release present Mission’s report scheduled Saturday Aug 17. Brit FonOff suggests if this timing impossible announcement refusal observe plebiscite might be delayed few days so reply to Greek invitation would not be interpreted to be consequence observers report.
No public statement re US inability observe plebiscite will be released until you inform Dept of developments in Paris.
Sent Paris; rptd London 6114, Athens 1015.
[On August 19, 1946, the Department of State released a summary of the Report of the Allied Mission To Observe the Revision of Greek Electoral Lists. Leland Morris and Richard T. Windle were Chiefs of the American and British Sections of the Mission, respectively. The Mission expressed itself as “satisfied that the revision and recompilations of the electoral lists as observed by it attain a degree of fairness and accuracy which justifies their use in seeking the opinion of the Greek people in matters of national import.” The full text of the release is published in the Department of State Bulletin, September 1, 1946, page 424.]