781.00/8–1850: Telegram
The Chargé in Greece (Minor) to the Secretary of State
549. I saw Plastiras this morning at his request. He asked for American advice and guidance and suggested that I propose some solution to present Government crisis.1 I declined, stating that crisis purely affair of Greek internal politics. I expressed hope three conditions could be met in working out solution: Crisis be of short duration; solution found within constitutional framework; any new Government [Page 400] would enjoy Chambers support. To his question, I said I had no views regarding elections near future. Shortly thereafter Cabinet met and sensing reluctance Papandreou followers to carry on, Plastiras proposed government resign in principle but remain technically in power until Papandreou and Tsouderos return,2 probably in very near future. Cabinet accepted this proposal which will be communicated to King by Plastiras this afternoon.
Palace views as expressed by Metaxas whom I saw shortly after my call on Plastiras are as follows: Plastiras government should be succeeded by wide coalition government for which Palace has been laying groundwork. Such government would be headed by Venizelos or some other parliament leader and would include in addition to obvious Palace choices such as Pipinelis and Canellopoulos, certain Populists such as Stephanopoulos3 and Karamanlis,4 Liberals such as Rendis5 and Averof,6 Tsouderos and one or more Papandreou deputies. Palace feels such government would have good prospect of success and would postpone necessity to call in Papagos or have new elections. Metaxas believes easy to obtain cooperation all parties mentioned except Populists, but that latter will ultimately come to terms because they fear alternatives.
I am seeing Venizelos at his request tomorrow morning. One of his emissaries states Venizelos preferred solutions are in order: (1) All-party government under his premiership (although he seemed unaware Palace backing for this solution); (2) reconstitution of center government headed by Venizelos but with economic support secured through American assistance; (3) new elections within 45 days.
To all queries concerning American position we are making reply along same line as my remarks to Plastiras contained in first paragraph [Page 401] this telegram. I hope avoid necessity any press statement on subject.
- Department of the Army telegram MID–175, August 18, from Athens, not printed, reported that Sophocles Venizelos, leader of the Liberal Party, withdrew Liberal support of the Plastiras coalition government on August 17, ostensibly because Prime Minister Plastiras favored a more extensive program of leniency toward former Communists and their supporters (718.00(W)/8–1850).↩
- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Order George Papandreou and Minister of Coordination Emmanuel Tsouderos were in the United States on a visit which took place contrary to the advice of the Embassy in Greece. Charge in Greece Harold B. Minor saw “no useful purpose” in their visit with the “possible exception of Tsouderos” if he confined himself to the problem of exporting Greek tobacco, the “ostensible purpose” of his journey. Chargé Minor failed to dissuade Deputy Prime Minister Papandreou from making the trip and so he recommended to the Department of State that neither visitor be received by the Secretary of State [or any other Cabinet member], let alone by the President, because the “Greeks have time and again complicated and confused our economic and military aid programs by attempting bypass American missions here [in Greece] by carrying their problems and invariable requests for additional aid direct to Washington” (telegram 448, August/9, from Athens, 781.00/8–950). The Department of State concurred with Chargé Minor’s views and informed the Embassy in Greece that “it wld be impossible arrange interviews and appts with personages whom … Grk Govt leaders wld desire to see” (telegram 438, August 11, to Athens, 781.00/8–950).↩
- Stephen Stephanopoulos, Member of Parliament.↩
- Constantine Karamanlis, Member of Parliament.↩
- Constantine Rendis, Member of Parliament.↩
- Evangelos Averof, Member of Parliament.↩