868.00/4–2446
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. William O. Baxter of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs.
About a week ago Mr. Pares89 inquired of an officer of the Department “for his own personal information” concerning the attitude of this Government on the continued presence of British troops in Greece. Mr. Pares called today at my request to discuss this matter. I told him that the United States Government would not be embarrassed by the retention for a time of British troops in Greece if the British Government should be of the opinion that their presence for a while longer in Greece would be conducive to the maintenance of peace in the Near East and if the Greek Government should invite the British troops to remain. If the situation in Greece should develop in such a way that the United States Government would be likely to be embarrassed by the continued stay of British troops there, the Department will informally let the British Government know its feelings in the matter.
- Peter Pares, First Secretary of the British Embassy.↩