Greece - US Department of State

4 Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.
Greece 689
equipment. The suspended shipments were to be resumed, but only
after the President reviewed your report of the Greek Government’s
response to your representations about movement toward a constitutional
situation, beginning with the less dramatic items.
My understanding was that in accordance with this mandate you
would explore this whole matter in a cooperative way with the Greek
Government, and we would await your report of that exploration.
When that phase was over, you would then be in a position to recommend
when Papadopoulos should be informed that we had decided
to lift the suspension of shipments, and to recommend, as well, the
speed with which deliveries should be resumed, and what items ought
to go beginning with the less dramatic items.
Some of this scenario, thanks to your efforts, is now behind us. I
suggest that you could bring it nearer completion by immediately taking
the following steps: Send us (a) a succinct synthesis of all your conversations
with the high-level people; (b) your evaluation of the current
attitude of the Greek Government with special reference to the
prospects of its moving in a constitutional direction; and (c) your recommendations
as to when and how the arms embargo should be lifted.
We would then bring your evaluation and recommendation to the
attention of the White House, following which we should be in a position
to transmit to you the appropriate go-ahead to inform Papadopoulos
of our plans.
We not only do not believe it is necessary, but believe it undesirable
and contrary to what was contemplated by the November NSC
decision, for this whole matter to be reassessed in the context of a
broader study of the Mediterranean. If this were your recommendation,
you would in effect be asking the President to reassess a decision
which had already been made.
Sincerely,
Joseph J. Sisco 4