311. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 26, 19571
SUBJECT
- (1) Greece and the Eisenhower Doctrine; (2) Greece and the Common Market; (3) A level of US aid to Greece.
PARTICIPANTS
- Mr. Gregory Kassimatis—Minister without Portfolio, Greek Cabinet
- Mr. George V. Melas, Greek Ambassador
- The Under Secretary
- Mr. Murat W. Williams, Deputy Director, GTI
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2) Mr. Kassimatis next inquired as to the United States Government’s views regarding the common market, a project which Greece supported. He remarked that because of the attitude of Britain and some of the Scandinavian countries, the market had not developed as Greece had hoped it would.
(Because of a digression by Ambassador Melas on the subject of our foreign aid program, the Under Secretary did not have an opportunity to comment on Mr. Kassimatis’ inquiry regarding the common market.)
(3) Mr. Kassimatis then expressed the Greek Government’s disappointment over the reduction of US aid to Greece. He handed the Under Secretary an Aide-Mémoire on this subject,2 underlining the importance of United States aid for maintaining the level of Greece’s armed forces.
The Under Secretary expressed his appreciation of the Greek problem and assured Mr. Kassimatis that his Aide-Mémoire would be carefully studied. He reminded the Greek Minister of our own [Page 597] difficulties because of the reduction of foreign aid funds during the last session of Congress.
In leaving, Ambassador Melas asked Mr. Williams to bring to the Under Secretary’s attention a point which he and Mr. Kassimatis had been unable to make due to lack of time. This had to do with the advantages accruing to the United States from such visits as the Greek visit to Cairo. He had been told by officers of the Department that it had been useful to have the full accounts of Nasser’s attitude which had been submitted following the visit. Mr. Melas also thought it significant that Nasser had treated the Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister themselves as representatives of a country which was fully part of the West.