Greece - US Department of State
Greece - US Department of State
Greece - US Department of State
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774 Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX<br />
Nixon: “And, if I had not been in this <strong>of</strong>fice, they’d be put right<br />
down the tubes.<br />
Pappas: “Right.<br />
Nixon: “Now, I’ve defended and John knows all this and the NSC<br />
and all the rest, everybody wants to kick the Greek around. And they<br />
said, ‘Well, the Danes.’ And I said—<br />
Pappas: “Who are the Danes.<br />
Nixon: “What are you going to do—exchange one battalion for 20<br />
divisions?<br />
Pappas: “20 divisions.<br />
Nixon: “Or whatever it is, 15? We’re with them, but they don’t<br />
make it any easier for us.<br />
Pappas: “I know, I told them that.<br />
Nixon: “Well, keep on telling ’em.”<br />
The President then outlined a scenario for an approach to the junta.<br />
Nixon: “We understand what they have to do. Make it appear<br />
something else. See. You tell ’em strong. Take a look here, boys, we,<br />
you have American politics, you know they’ve got a very good friend<br />
here, but they’re hanging all this up.<br />
Pappas: “I’m going to tell them in no uncertain terms. I’m going<br />
to tell them in a nice way. Because I’ve tried my best to guide them, to<br />
do everything I possibly could. And I said to [unclear] the strongest <strong>of</strong><br />
martial law, but don’t call it martial law, you can’t have that, martial<br />
law. And I think that Tasca’s done a good job. Now, <strong>Greece</strong> is going<br />
along well, and I think things can go along the road to a semblance <strong>of</strong><br />
[unclear]. I think by 1972 they will have parliamentary program. Of<br />
course, the King’s not helping them either, unfortunately.<br />
Nixon: “We haven’t done anything about that. I’m sorry about that,<br />
he’s a nice fellow.<br />
Pappas: “He’s a nice, young—<br />
Nixon: “But you think he should stay out <strong>of</strong> it?<br />
Pappas: “Oh, absolutely.<br />
Nixon: “Can’t come back?<br />
Pappas: “I believe—<br />
Nixon: “He can’t come back?<br />
Pappas: “Not now. Not now. Not now. He’ll be against his own<br />
image.<br />
Nixon: “Yeah.”<br />
The conversation then turned to Yugoslavia and Turkey. (National<br />
Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Recording<br />
<strong>of</strong> Conversation Among Nixon, Mitchell, and Pappas, March 25, 1971,<br />
Oval Office, Conversation No. 473–10)
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