868.01/568: Telegram
The Ambassador to the Greek Government in Exile (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 23—8:50 a.m.]
Greek 167. My 163, May 20, 5 p.m. The following telegram has been received from Beirut:
May 21, 3 p.m. for MacVeagh. Your May 20, 11 a.m. President’s reply was delivered yesterday evening a few hours after the Conference had terminated. Delivery was made by an Attaché of this Legation through Prime Minister Papandreou’s secretary (Francis [Phrantzes]) who handed a copy also to an American newspaper correspondent. He called on me this noon to express the appreciation of his chief and of the three particular addressees.
Francis also asked that the following message from the Prime Minister be transmitted by you to the President:
“Great was the distress of our beloved Fatherland caused by the recent mutiny of the Greek Armed Forces in the Middle East. I am happy today to announce, Mr. President, that the Congress of Greek Delegates in the Lebanon has put an end to the internal strife and determined the national unity against the barbarian invaders who are violating the sacred soil of our Fatherland. The United Greek nation looks with complete confidence to the noble people of the United States and to their great leader and invokes their full support for the realization of the struggle for national liberation.”
He understands that similar messages are being addressed by the Prime Minister to Mr. Churchill “and others”.