Office of the Historian

868.01/12–2447: Telegram

The Chargé in Greece (Rankin) to the Secretary of State

urgent
Athens, December 24, 1947.

2224. Speaking over DABS this afternoon Miltiades Porphyro-gennis read proclamation by Markos dated December 23 announcing formation “first provisional democratic government of free Greece.”

Cabinet announced as follows: President and Minister War Markos, Vice President and Interior John Ioannides, Foreign Affairs Petros Roussos, Justice Miltiades Porphyrogennis, Hygiene, Social Welfare and Education Petros Kokkalis, Economics Vassilios Bartziotas, Agriculture Dimitrios Vlandas, National Economy and Supplies Leonidas Stringos.

Porphyrogennis said proclamation was datelined “somewhere in free Greece” and gave following as immediate objectives new government:

(1)
Mobilize all popular forces to liberate Greece from imperialists and restore her national independence and liberties.
(2)
Establish popular justice.
(3)
National[ize] all foreign assets, banks, heavy industry, etc.
(4)
Carry out agrarian reform.
(5)
Promote reconciliation among Greek people.
(6)
Reorganize state along democratic lines.
(7)
Send representatives of democratic Greece abroad to all democratic peoples and their governments. Develop “specially friendly relations with Soviet Union, Balkan democracies and other democratic states.” These foreign policy objectives to be carried out within framework and spirit of United Nations.
(8)
Recognize full equality of minorities.
(9)
Organize democratic army, fleet and air force to face any foreign aggression.
(10)
Hold free elections as soon as conditions permit for Peoples National Assembly.

Proclamation and British1 establishment “free government” necessitated by American and British imperialism and policies of Sophoulis-Tsaldaris government which have betrayed nation. Continued that “democratic leaders” are optimistic although they do not underrate difficulties to be confronted, for they rely on friendship that democratic army and government has engendered in hearts of democratic peoples alone.

Proclamation concluded: “Long live free Greece, democratic army and Greek people.”

Rankin
  1. Words “and British” were garbled; “stated” was probably intended.↩