Office of the Historian

139. Message From President Eisenhower to King Paul1

Washington, September 21, 1955.

In the present difficult situation, I desire to assure Your Majesty that I remain deeply convinced of the paramount importance of the ties of strong friendship which unite Greece and the United States. Even if there are differences of opinion over how the Cyprus question should be handled, we shall not let this one issue trouble our deep friendship and sympathy for Greece.2

With kindest personal assurances,

Dwight D. Eisenhower
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 747C.00/9–2155. Secret. Transmitted in telegram 325 to Athens, September 21, which is the source text. The Embassy was instructed to deliver the message to the King and to inform him that he was at liberty to make it public if he so desired. The Department added that it would not release the message unless King Paul indicated his approval.↩
  2. In telegram 839, September 30, Ambassador Cannon reported that the President’s message had been delivered to King Paul the previous day. According to the Ambassador, the King was “pleased and impressed” with the message and was “disposed” to make it public. Cannon added, however, that in view of the present “diplomatic political crisis” in Greece, the King was reserving that decision until after consultation with the two Deputy Prime Ministers. (Ibid., 611.81/9–3055)↩