868.01/11–2048: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (Grady) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
2382. [Here follows one paragraph analyzing the political ramifications of a possible defeat of the Sophoulis–Tsaldaris government in seeking a vote of confidence.]
I saw King at noon today. He believes it touch-and-go whether government obtains majority tonight and is not disposed give next mandate to Venizelos and/or Papandreou. Even if they could form cabinet which would receive majority vote, King considers resulting government would be too weak and unreliable to meet present situation. (I agree with him and might add my opinion that such government would be considerably less effective than its predecessors.) If new Sophoulis–Tsaldaris coalition defeated tonight, King wishes give mandate next to Papagos on understanding government would be constituted with assistance Markezinis1 to include more efficient members preceding coalition and perhaps one-third outsiders chosen for technical qualifications. King added he would prefer see present coalition supported in Parliament tonight, but believes it would last only month or two at which time Papagos Government would be set up. King’s position in offering mandate to Papagos at that time would be stronger as result another failure to maintain government based on parties.
Basing myself on Department’s memo2 brought by Rountree this morning and on my own considered opinion of realities here, I told King we would support him in his proposal but would expect Papagos Government to consist of effective and efficient ministers and that King [Page 187] would prevent Papagos or similar government from becoming dictatorship. I said gravity of situation is such that an efficient government for Greece is more important than preserving all traditional democratic forms. He expressed gratification and indicated confidence that Papagos with carefully selected cabinet would receive vote of confidence if armed with decree dissolving Parliament which decree would then not have to be implemented.
British Ambassador fully informed of foregoing and is in general agreement with steps I have taken.3
Sent Department 2382, repeated Paris 277, London 206.
- Spyros Markezinis, head of the “New Party”.↩
- Copy not found in Department of State files.↩
- In a memorandum of November 23 to Messrs. Satterthwaite and Hare, Mr. Jernegan noted that Ambassador Grady’s conversation with King Paul on November 20 and other recent events in Greece foreshadowed “the possible early replacement of the present coalition Government by a more authoritarian regime in which General Papagos, Spyros Markezinis, and the King would be the dominant figures.… While I agree with Ambassador Grady that we should ‘support’ the King’s proposal (i.e., not oppose it), I feel that we should be under no illusions as to the probable character of a Papagos–Markezinis Government or take too much stock in any pledge by the King to prevent such a Government from becoming a disguised dictatorship. (It is perhaps noteworthy that the King made an evasive reply to Grady on this score.) The advantage of such a regime is that it would give promise of providing Greece with the dynamic, efficient, and inspired political leadership which the country so sorely needs. The disadvantage is that such a regime would probably be less responsive to American influence and desires than its more pliable, weaker predecessors, that errors would be less easily corrected, and that failure of the regime might well entail collapse of the whole Greek political structure, including the throne. (However, this will occur in any event if the battle against the guerrillas is lost.”) (868.01/11–2048)↩