Greece - US Department of State

768 Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX
within the Alliance that the U.S. is concerned with and working toward
the return of representative government in Greece. It would enhance
our ability to control attempts by some allies to introduce divisive debate
on Greece into the Alliance. At the same time, the very nature of
the ad hoc approach to selecting pressure points makes the risk of applying
the policy manageable. Ambassador Tasca believes pressure to
lift martial law should continue as should our efforts to seek a reduction
or commutation of sentences against political prisoners.
Option III, our present essentially passive policy, has assured access
to facilities in Greece but has not proved effective in either satisfying
our critics or in moving the Greek regime. To do somewhat less
is to move in the direction of Option IV, to drop all attempts to influence
events in Greece, which, though it would offer the best assurance
of continued access to Greek facilities, would significantly elevate the
risk of serious division in NATO and arouse strong reactions among
some elements of the Congress.
[Omitted here is the body of the response to NSSM 116, and three
annexes entitled “Pressures for United States Policy Changes,” “Greek
Options in the Face of Increased Pressures,” and “King Constantine of
Greece: His Role in United States Policy Toward Greece.”]
307. Research Study Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and
Research 1
RNAS–6 Washington, March 16, 1971.
GREECE: IMPLICATIONS FOR US-GREEK RELATIONS OF
JUNTA’S CONTINUATION
The military regime in Greece enters its fifth year in power in April
1971. This paper, prepared at the request of the Greek Country Directorate,
examines the directions in which the junta may move in its
effort to institutionalize its values and political authority. Some of
the strains that may envelop US-Greek relations along the way are also
examined.
1 Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1264,
Saunders Subject Files, Background Briefings 1971, Greece, 1/1/71–3/31/71. Secret; No
Foreign Dissem. The paper was prepared by Gene Preston (INR).