Greece - US Department of State

806 Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX
time in October. 4 The President suggested that Ambassador Tasca
might wish to indicate to the Greek leadership that the Vice President’s
visit would provide an outstanding opportunity for making an announcement
on the government’s intention to conduct elections. Ambassador
Tasca answered that he was not confident that such an approach
would succeed and suggested that perhaps the elimination of
martial law would be more palatable to the Greek leadership. President
Nixon reiterated that the Ambassador should discuss this matter
with the Greek leadership, emphasizing the President’s staunch friendship
and support for their regime but also making it clear that our own
domestic problem here made some movement necessary if we are to
retain the kind of flexibility necessary to provide military and economic
assistance to the regime. Ambassador Tasca said that he would undertake
this mission. 5
The meeting adjourned with Ambassador Tasca expressing his appreciation
to the President for his continuing support. 6
4 In telegram 3175 from Athens, June 24, Tasca reported that he had been informed
of the Greek Government’s displeasure that a forthcoming visit by Agnew to Europe did
not include a stop in Greece. Tasca had suggested attention to the Greek desire for a vice
presidential visit. (Ibid., NSC Files, Box 594, Country Files—Middle East, Greece, Vol. II
1 Nov 1970–31 Dec 1971)
5 A transcript of this portion of the conversation, prepared by the editor specifically
for this volume, reads: “Tasca: I’ve gotten the word to him [Papadopoulos] through
some of his very close business friends that he ought to help [you?] between now and
the end of 1972. It would be useful for him to fix a date for elections. Nixon: Absolutely.
You tell him that when you get back. First of all, I’d put it to him this way: you say he’s
got a friend here but it’s damned important.” The Ambassador then turned to the possibility
of an Agnew visit to Greece and the President told him to inform the Greeks that
“It would be a great thing, a really big thing . . . if they could make a symbolic [gesture?]
before he came.” Nixon then returned to his need for some political help from the junta
if he was to continue battling Congress over issues relating to Greece. (Ibid., White House
Tapes, August 4, 1971, Oval Office, Conversation No. 554–8)
6 In an August 6 letter to Nixon, Tasca stated that he believed his Congressional
testimony had reinforced the administration position on Greece before Congress and indicated
his desire to continue to serve the President in “an assignment of equal importance
. . . with similar challenge.” In an August 6 letter to Kissinger, the Ambassador described
himself as a “lightning rod” for critics of the President’s policies. In an August
25 reply to both letters, Kissinger responded with “good wishes on your return to what
is one of our most challenging diplomatic assignments to say the least.” (All in National
Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 594, Country Files—Middle East,
Greece, Vol. II 1 Nov 1970–31 Dec 1971)