314. Editorial Note
On December 4, at the OCB luncheon meeting, the subject of the Operations Plan for Greece was raised. Murat Williams and L. Bruce Laingen were present for the discussion. According to the preliminary notes of the meeting, the following exchange occurred:
“Mr. Herter opened discussion by saying that he had never seen a country and people so completely centered on any one problem as is Greece and the Greeks on the Cyprus issue.
“Mr. George Allen, ICA, agreed and said that the Cyprus problem colors Greek attitudes towards everybody and everything. He reviewed the positions of England, Greece and Turkey toward the Cyprus question and said it now seemed impossible to avoid an acrimonious UN debate on the subject. He said that independence is a solution best characterized as mutually unsatisfactory to all concerned, but perhaps it will prove to be the only feasible one. Governor Herter wondered whether the Cyprus question might cause Greece to pull out of NATO. Mr. Allen said this was unlikely since both the government and the opposition are violently anti-Communist. The government is resisting Communist support for the Greek position on Cyprus. He noted, however, that a continued inability to solve the problem would strengthen extremist groups which even now question whether Greece benefits from membership in NATO because NATO has not taken a position favorable to Greece on the Cyprus issue.
“Mr. Allen Dulles said that the cheapest and best way to provide dollars to Greece without expense to the Treasury would be to encourage tourism, especially in the undeveloped but extremely attractive islands. Mr. Allen agreed, noting that significant hotel expansion is being carried out in Athens, and that the projected Balkan highway would be of great help also. It was agreed to add a paragraph to the Operations Plan indicating our interest in promoting tourism in Greece.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Mr. Williams said Greece is now self-sufficient in rice and exports cotton. Mr. Allen noted that a proposed P.L. 480 program involving vegetable oils could not be carried out because of the large Greek olive oil exports.
[Page 603]“The Operations Plan was approved with minor revisions for transmission to the Embassy and appropriate agencies in Washington.” (Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 62 D 430)