Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Eastern Mediterranean, Volume VIII

747C.00/12–1654

No. 407
Memorandum by the First Secretary of Embassy in France (Brewster) to the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant)¹

secret

[Paris,] 16 December 1954.

I conveyed your message² orally to Ambassador Exindaris at the Greek Foreign Minister’s apartment in the Hotel Bristol. He passed the word along immediately to the Foreign Minister in the adjoining room.

The Greek NATO Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the statement and immediately raised the principal issue which concerns the Foreign Minister.

Greece has a tremendous public opinion problem on its hands. The Greek public should have some reassuring statement from a U.S. source to permit the quashing of rumors in Athens that the U.S. has been one of the principal “bad boys” on the Resolution regarding Cyprus in the UN.³ The Greek Foreign Minister also naturally wants to prove he has been active on this issue in Paris, even though he did not go to New York. In the interest of U.S.-Greek relations he feels a brief statement which he might be authorized to use promptly would help the current U.S. position and prestige in Greece, and reduce Leftist demagoguery in Athens.

Whatever language the Secretary would permit, he feels would help greatly in putting out the current Greek “political fire”.

Ambassador Exindaris will wish to raise this question with you tomorrow morning at the Council meeting,⁴ and hopes you may be able to obtain the Secretary’s agreement to authorize Mr. Stephanopoulos to make some statement.

I am sure the Greek NATO Delegation is also carefully weighing the possibility of having a Greek correspondent ask the Secretary a question on his views on the Cyprus action in the UN.

As a personal suggestion, possibly language along the following lines would be palatable to the Greek Foreign Minister:

“I called on the U.S. Secretary of State Wednesday⁵ for a friendly talk on the Cyprus issue and am now informed that he communicated with Washington and the U.S. Delegation to the UN immediately thereafter. On the basis of reports from New York he believes the resolution on Cyprus as amended meets the points raised by me. He is happy that this resolution, which reflects a spirit of moderation, was carried by such an overwhelming majority in the UN Political Committee.”

[Appendix]

The Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant) to the Greek Delegation at the Ministerial Meeting of the North Atlantic Council⁶

[Paris,] 16 December 1954—2:30 p.m.

Mr. Merchant regrets exceedingly that he will be unable to see Ambassador Exindaris this afternoon but he is involved in continuous meetings with the British and the French both this afternoon and this evening. He has discussed the matter with the Secretary and desired to communicate the following to Ambassador Exindaris:

“Immediately after the Greek Foreign Minister called on the Secretary yesterday the Secretary communicated with Washington and the U.S. Delegation to the U.N.⁷ He does not know whether his communication in fact affected the result but the Secretary, on the basis of the reports he now has, thought that the resolution on Cyprus as amended last night meets the main point that the Foreign Minister raised with him. Insofar as the matter of a statement to the Greek people is concerned, the Secretary is dubious of the propriety of his making such a statement but if an occasion offers at a press conference when he can make some helpful comment, he will take that opportunity.”⁸

1. This memorandum was transmitted through Edwin M. Martin (USRO) and Hughes.
2. Dated Dec. 16, below.
3. Regarding the draft U.N. General Assembly resolution on Cyprus, see Document 410.
4. For documentation on the Ministerial meeting of the North Atlantic Council, Paris, Dec. 17–18, see vol. V, Part 1, pp. 549 ff.
5. For a report on this meeting, see Document 406.
6. This message was conveyed orally by Brewster to Exintaris, Dec. 16.
7. Reference is to the document cited in footnote 5, above.
8. For Dulles’ statement on Cyprus, issued to the press at Paris, Dec. 18, see Document 411.