165. Letter From President Carter to Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis 1
Immediately upon returning to the United States, Secretary Clifford met with me to give me a full account of his visit to the eastern Mediterranean as my Special Representative.2 While I know that he has already expressed his appreciation for the cordial and warm reception he was accorded in Greece, I want to thank you personally for the time, the hospitality and the many courtesies you and your advisers extended to Secretary Clifford and his party.
Your willingness to discuss issues of mutual interest in a frank and open manner contributed to making Secretary Clifford’s Athens stop extremely beneficial. Your eloquent and detailed exposition made a deep and lasting impression on Secretary Clifford, who in turn has faithfully communicated the spirit and essence of your remarks to me. As a result, we now have a greater appreciation of the complexity and sensitivity of the issues involved. Pending a more detailed review of these questions, based both on your January letter to me3 and Secretary Clifford’s report, I want to assure you that the United States is conscious of the sensitive and delicate nature of the problems you face and is ready to be of such assistance as may be appropriate.
I am hopeful that the Clifford mission has set the stage for early substantive progress toward a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus problem, and I know that you will do all that is within your power to help make this a reality. I am hopeful, too, that the Clifford mission has set the tone for a new era of close and warm relations between the United States and Greece. You have my personal assurance that I will do all in my power to work toward this goal and to build on the auspicious beginning which Secretary Clifford has provided.
I trust that we will have an opportunity to meet at an early date and exchange views on matters of concern to both our countries.
Sincerely,
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders File, Box 7, Greece: Prime Minister Constantine Caramanlis, 2/77–10/79. No classification marking.↩
- See Document 10.↩
- See Document 163.↩