Greece - US Department of State

2 See Document 262.
Greece 709
The Under Secretaries Committee has been asked to consider
courses of action for carrying out the recommendations in Ambassador
Tasca’s “Report on Greece.”
Background
Last November you instructed Ambassador Tasca to tell the Greek
Prime Minister that you were prepared to lift the suspension of all items
of military aid. 2 At the same time our Ambassador was to make clear that
movement by the Greek Government toward a constitutional situation
would ease our problems in speeding the release of the suspended equipment.
Ambassador Tasca was to report the Greek Government’s response,
and, following your review and approval, we were to begin to ship the
suspended items at a gradual pace beginning with the less dramatic items.
Ambassador Tasca’s report has now been received (Enclosure No.
1). Ambassador Tasca has also transmitted a letter to you from the
Greek Prime Minister (discussed below) which bears on the question
of movement toward constitutional normality in Greece.
Ambassador Tasca’s Report
Ambassador Tasca concludes:
—that our policy should be based on the assumption that the present
regime in Greece is here to stay,
—that the withholding of military equipment has proved ineffective
in accelerating the return to democratic government and is indeed
beginning to undermine Greece’s strength,
—that if the United States does not provide Greece with military
aid, the Greek Government will turn to other countries to buy the military
equipment Greece needs, thus creating logistics problems for the
Greeks, and weakening United States ties with the Greek military establishment
and government.
We should therefore
—lift the suspension on the delivery of military equipment and
continue grant military aid for Greece at an adequate level.
At the same time we should continue to press the Greek regime
to return to representative and constitutional government. The regime
attaches primary importance to the approbation of the United States
and the American people. We should use this far more positive tool in
dealing with Athens, rather than the unrelated and counter-productive
one of restricting military aid. Forceful, persistent, but friendly persuasion
will be our best tactic.
The Ambassador is satisfied that the Greek Government does indeed
intend to move forward, albeit at its own often reluctant pace,