Office of the Historian

314. Telegram From the Embassy in Greece to the Department of State0

Athens, August 29, 1961, 7 p.m.

317. Deputy Prime Minister called DCM in this morning in lieu Ambassador who indisposed. Canellopoulos, making clear he spoke directly on behalf Prime Minister who still away taking cure, urged USG consider early announcement some increase in defense support, implying Caramanlis government would suffer in forthcoming electoral contest (still not announced but more and more probable) if it did not produce additional American aid. He made point amount not so important as “psychology” and went on to say increase in defense support now would provide tangible results for successful Caramanlis Washington visit which had caused such favorable public reaction.

No encouragement given.1

Briggs
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 781.5–MSP/8–2961. Confidential.↩
  2. A more complete account of this discussion was transmitted to the Department of State in despatch 153 from Athens, September 1. (Ibid., 781.13/9–161)↩