Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

868.00/5–1047: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Greece

confidential
us urgent
niact

Washington, May 14, 1947—8 p. m.

639. Because of urgency of time element and mercurial shifts in attitude of Greek Govt you are in better position than Dept to assess feasibility acceptable solutions of amnesty question. Dept therefore wishes to give you wide latitude of discretion in answering Greek Aide-Mémoire (urtels 672 and 673 May 10¹) and in discussing matter with Greek officials with view to achieving ultimate aim of Dept which is threefold:

(1) To present clear Greek record to world opinion;

(2) To obtain Greek initiative which might forestall SC action on Greek internal matter and SC criticism of character of Greek Govt.

(3) To improve Greek internal situation by effectively weakening guerilla movement.

Greek Govt should be made fully aware of extremely unfavorable publicity it is receiving on this question particularly in hitherto favorable US press. Although Dept realizes that Greek Communists and guerilla leaders are determined to thwart even sincere Greek attempts to carry out amnesty, the hard fact is that general public opinion in US believes Greek Govt is committed to policy intransigent annihilation of all opposition. Since amnesty problem has received so much recent publicity, it will unquestionably be discussed by the SC even if not included in report of Investigating Commission. All acts of Greek Govt both of policy and implementation are in world spotlight, consequently Greece should in our view take exceptional measures to win general sympathy and to keep her own record above reproach.

It would appear to Dept that Greek Govt could take action along following lines. Greek Govt could announce that it has again reexamined its amnesty decrees and finds them satisfactory. In order prove good faith of Greek Govt it will request neutral foreign observers of one or more powers to visit Greece to observe and report on carrying out of these amnesty terms. Greek Govt could make it clear, however, that fully satisfactory implementation of amnesty laws must necessarily await effective measures, taken in pursuance of SC decision, to seal the northern frontiers in a manner to prevent aid reaching the guerilla bands from outside Greece.²

Sent Athens 639; rptd Geneva for Ethridge 385.

Marshall

1. Telegram 673, not printed.
2. Telegram 717, May 16, 4 p. m., from Athens, gave the text of a first person note based on telegram 639 which Ambassador MacVeagh had addressed to Greek Foreign Minister Tsaldaris. Ambassador MacVeagh reviewed the note in detail with the Foreign Minister who “said he thought it would give him basis for eventual declaration and I [MacVeagh] urged prompt action in order to put an end to growing crop of false reports.” (868.00/5–1647)