Greece - US Department of State

Greece 837
opposition might exploit opportunity as chance to register its anti-
Papadopoulos stand.
6. In any case on assumption Papadopoulos will be compelled to
begin at some point to build new Greek political structure he must settle
question of monarchy one way or another at outset before elections
can take place. In this sense issue of King appears to be massive impediment
to elections under present Constitution.
7. We believe too much significance should not be attached to such
points as omission of royal family from prayers on occasion of national
holidays, removal of royal chair from cathedral, decrees downgrading
way in which royal portraits shall be displayed in public
buildings, etc. Greek regime tends to operate in rather capricious
and free-hand fashion, and same significance cannot be attributed to
such actions as would be case in monolithic state governed by allpowerful
bureaucracy such as USSR. GOG runs such matters in essentially
slovenly way and probably does not even have administrative
apparatus organized to arrange details of this character on such
a basis as to comprise first elements in policy decision involving eventual
abolition of monarchy.
8. Among other considerations which are relevant is attachment
that former political world continues to show for institution of monarchy,
principally because they see the King as providing an orderly transition
back to democratic future, but in some cases with an effective
transfer of power away from Papadopoulos and his followers. Transitional
role for monarchy would not serve interest of Papadopoulos and
would seem to us to constitute additional negative factors favoring
move to republic.
9. We have also been interested in observing general touchiness of
regime with respect to publicity concerning official contacts of any character
with King Constantine, including particularly those of U.S. Department
will recall press play at time Ambassador Tasca visited King
in Rome. Similarly, press reaction to presidential messages on occasion
of Greek Independence Day both this year and last, as well as Christmas
holiday greetings, has been sharply critical, and pro-government
press has taken line that King Constantine effectively supplanted by
mechanism of regency and that regent rather than King is proper recipient
of such gestures of courtesy.
10. Last and probably most important is position of army on
monarchy. Greek military is probably less divided than Greeks generally
on this question. We have impression that military in general opposed
to King, particularly at higher ranks. Senior officers who chose
to side with Papadopoulos rather than King at time of attempted
counter-coup would additionally be motivated by fear of retaliation
should Constantine return and eventually regain influence. We believe