Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXX, Greece; Cyprus; Turkey, 1973–1976

25. Telegram From the Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to the Departments of State and Defense¹

Brussels, September 16, 1974, 2050Z.

5002. Subject: Greece and NATO.

1. At DPC meeting afternoon September 16 (which Greek representatives did not attend), SYG Luns announced that he had been officially advised by Greek delegation to NATO that henceforth Greek representatives will not attend meetings of Defense Planning Committee (DPC), Executive Working Group (EWG), Defense Review Committee (DRC) and Nuclear Planning Group (NPG). Luns added that SACEUR has received official notification from the Commander in Chief of Hellenic Armed Forces that effective August 14, 1974, all units of the Greek Army, Navy and Air Force are withdrawn from assignment, commitment, or ear-marking to NATO.

2. De Staercke (Belgian) remarked that it was curious that GOG had not withdrawn its representatives from NATO Military Committee (MILCOM). Although recognizing that Greece would wish maintain effective liaison with NATO military authorities while sorting out and adjusting its relations with the integrated military structure of the alliance, De Staercke said it was illogical that Greeks in MILCOM should be in position to decide or even block normal NATO business. Logically, he maintained, Greece should become one party of new contractual relationship, NATO being second party. Luns agreed, saying that he would speak with Greek Ambassador calling attention to manner in which France, while not member of MILCOM, maintains liaison with that body.

3. Rumsfeld expressed agreement with De Staercke observing that DPC has every bit as much pending business to define NATO–Greece linkage as MILCOM. It would therefore be logical to have same GOG relationship to both groups. Menzies (Canada) said MILCOM meetings divided into sections A (which France attended) and B (which it did not attend) seemed a useful model. Picking up Rumsfeld’s point, De Staercke said that both DPC and MILCOM had to review all NATO relations with Greece in their totality and work out new modus operandi satisfactory to both parties.

4. Eralp (Turkey), while saying he might be speaking prematurely, pointed out that Greek withdrawal from NPG will raise the question of Greek/Turkish rotation in that body.

Rumsfeld

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Henry Kissinger, 1973–1977, Entry 5403, Box 10, Nodis Memcons, 9/74. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated Priority to all NATO capitals, USNMR SHAPE, USCINCEUR, USLOSACLANT, USDOCOSOUTH, CINCUSAREUR, CINCUSAFE, and CINCUSNAVEUR.