285. Telegram From the Embassy in Greece to the Department of State1
Athens, May 5, 1967,
1600Z.
5136. Athens 5047.2
- 1.
- During my call on King Thursday evening I told him in confidence of Mrs. Papandreou’s assertion that her husband is being administered drugs and of her description of medical history of Andreas and attendant dangers of any regime of drugs. He could anticipate consequences if Andreas’ health should suddenly deteriorate while in detention. Even at propaganda level, it could do Greece no good if drug charges should be aired abroad and some international committee be formed to examine his condition.
- 2.
- King said he had heard nothing that indicated Andreas had any health difficulties. Cy Sulzberger, who had seen him last Saturday, had described Andreas as in normal health and in good spirits.3 However, King thought he could emphasize to Patakos great importance of avoiding any chance that political prisoners would lose their health and vitality while in detention. If his probing should pick up any indication of drug administration, he would be in position to pursue question in detail.
Comment: King said he and Sulzberger had agreed to tell no one they had met. Please protect.4
Talbot
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 29 GREECE. Secret; Limdis.↩
- Telegram 5047, May 1, reported that Margaret Papandreou was concerned that her husband’s captors were “brainwashing” him through the use of dangerous drugs. (Ibid.)↩
- For Sulzberger’s account of his meeting with Papandreou, see Age of Mediocrity, pp. 331–333.↩
- For Sulzberger’s account of his meeting with the King, see ibid., pp. 336–341.↩