868.00/7–1947: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
1168. According press and EAM news bulletin, “democratic army” broadcasting station went on air 1845 hours Greenwich July 12 and is now broadcasting daily at 0500 hours on 38 meter band and 1800 hours 44 meter band.
Broadcasts not heard widely or easily in Athens as yet. However, EAM bulletin July 17 prints proclamation by guerrilla chief Markos allegedly read in broadcast that morning.
Proclamation asks termination of violence by agreement including general amnesty, “new, govt with equal participation of democratic world”, and free elections without foreign interference. Abruptly, it then says “situation has reached point where democratic army considers necessary the formation of a provisional democratic government in free regions, which will maintain power until National Assembly to which it will report is convoked.”
If foregoing makes any sense at all, it would seem to call for simultaneous establishment of “free govt” in rebel territory and compromise govt in rest of Greece until such time as “democratic elements” win elections held by latter.
Besides confused obscurity of Markos’ proclamation, Dept will note divergence between his proposal for compromise govt “with equal [Page 246] participation of democratic world” (i.e., Communists), KKE proposal to Sophoulis for “pure center govt” (mytel 1108, July 13), ELD proposal for govt “enjoying common confidence” (mytel 1119, July 151), and statement “we do not ask that power be handed to us” in vague EAM appeasement offer of July 4 (mytel 1038, July 61). Possibly this is best indication that none of these recent leftist proposals are to be taken seriously or considered as anything other than propaganda moves designed to confuse liberal and leftist opinion throughout world and in Greece and to provide advance justification for eventual establishment of rebel govt.