781.00/7–3151: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (Peurifoy) to the Department of State
561. Papagos candidature has provoked varying polit reactions. Tsaldaris issued vehemently bitter statement, obviously anticipates serious polit damage to his party and can be expected use all means fight back including perhaps kind of press campaign he used to smear Markezinis in 1949. LEK which is mtg this morning fully expected [Page 491] dissolve as party and unite under Papagos banner. Plastiras unperturbed, Moatsis assured us and his statement to be published in afternoon press welcomes Papagos candidacy as clearing up doubt on subj and as endorsing EPEK view for necessity of change. Moatsis states new developments have not altered in any way Plastiras refusal to cooperate with extreme left and feels EPEK will run alone and not fuse with Liberals prior to elections. Venizelos says Liberals will stand pat, expects few if any defections, and has some hope Plastiras might, after all unite with Liberals in common electoral campaign. According Venizelos, King, whom he saw this morning, was extremely angry and urged Venizelos make strong statement against Papagos, order immediately full scale investigation alleged Papagos plot in army and to move to divest marshal of his mil title. Venizelos said he had demurred and had urged King to follow moderate course. We strongly endorsed this stand. We put across similar idea to palace SYG Pesmazoglou and to George Ventiris this morning.
Markezinis states Papagos decision came as great surprise to his friends as well as his enemies and electoral plans only in formative stage. Much depends on attitude Lambrakis, powerful backstage Liberal, who is returning hastily from Rome this evening. As Dept aware Lambrakis had been advocate of Papagos solution but recently despairing of marshal’s candidacy switched to support of Venizelos. Markezinis hopeful that despite lack advance knowledge Papagos plan Lambrakis will swing his influential papers and his followers in Liberal circles to marshal. According Markezinis, Papagos as reported Embtel 470, July 261 wld endeavor attract candidates from center as well as right tradition and insist on necessity bringing many new men into politics. He wishes put emphasis on constructive program and avoid attacks on other parties and personalities.
Marshal’s candidacy introduces entirely new element into political situation and upcoming electoral campaign. Even initial results not yet clear. Emb convinced only practical course for us to fol is one of strict impartiality and nonintervention except in certain possible contingencies which we will discuss in subsequent tel.
- Not printed.↩