868.00/8–2645: Telegram
Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:40 p.m.]
3398. We have seen a telegram from the British Chargé d’Affaires at Athens to FonOff in which he suggests that British Govt should not give any advice to Damaskinos on Greek elections before latter’s visit to London next week. Caccia stated that Regent was a “wise old fox” who knew more about Greek politics than anyone else and that it would be preferable from any point of view to have Damaskinos visit with Secretary Byrnes in London in order to give the latter a first-hand picture of the Greek situation, after which Bevin, Byrnes and Damaskinos could sit down and work out a common program of action in connection with forthcoming Greek elections.2
- In a memorandum of September 4 William O. Baxter of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs wrote to the First Secretary of Embassy in the United Kingdom (Hare), temporarily in Washington, in part: “According to recent information from the British Foreign Office, the Regent has expressed his hope that no advice will be given him on this subject prior to his visit to London, and the British add their hope that the Department will delay an approach to the Regent. We pointed out to the British that we had no intention of ‘advising’ the Regent about this matter but that we did feel it necessary to have some indication of the date and the length of time for which they would be needed. The Department therefore despatched the attached telegram to Athens on September 1. A last minute check with the British Embassy indicated no contradiction in this step, as the British Chargé in Athens has been instructed to request the views of the Regent on the timing of elections before the Regent departs for London, but to give no indication of British preferences.” (868.00/9–445) For the telegram of September 1 to the Ambassador in Greece, see p. 150.↩