868.01/196a
The Secretary of State to President Coolidge
My Dear Mr. President: I feel that the time has come to take such action as is possible to resume, on a more formal basis, the diplomatic relations between this country and Greece. On pages 17–19 of my address on January 23d before the Council of Foreign Relations of New York, of which I enclose a copy, I briefly outlined our recent relations with Greece;3 In concluding I referred to the changed conditions resulting from the conclusion of the Lausanne Treaty and the recent elections in Greece, adding “these elections, it is hoped, will result in the establishment of a government which will enable this Government to extend formal recognition.”
On January 13th Mr. Atherton, our representative at Athens, was informed by Mr. Roussos, Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs, formerly Greek Minister in Washington, of the formation of a Cabinet under the Presidency of Mr. Venizelos. On January 15th the British representative in Athens, under instructions from his government, informed the Minister for Foreign Affairs of his Government’s pleasure in renewing normal diplomatic relations, adding that his Government hoped shortly to be able to appoint a Minister to Athens and asking that meanwhile he be recognized as Charge d’Affaires. On January 24th Mr. Atherton telegraphed4 that the Greek Government had been informed that the British Government was immediately sending a Minister to Athens accredited to the King.
The treatment of American interests in Greece by the Greek authorities has been satisfactory. While there are a number of outstanding questions between the two countries, particularly the question of the 1918 Loan Agreement with Greece and the funding of Greek indebtedness to the United States, these are questions which have been held in abeyance in the absence of formal recognition and do not afford at this time adequate ground for withholding recognition. It would be desirable to negotiate a commercial treaty with Greece but this again is a matter which would naturally follow rather than precede recognition.
In view of this situation I wish to suggest for your consideration the desirability of resuming, on a formal basis, the relations between the United States and Greece. This could be done by the accrediting to the Greek Government of a Chargé d’Affaires ad interim and by the reception of the Greek Charge d’Affaires in Washington. No [Page 265] change in personnel would be necessary. Mr. Atherton, who has been acting as our representative in Greece, could be instructed to take up formal relations with the Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs pending the appointment of a Minister. This action would be similar to that recently taken in the case of Mexico.5
The appointment of a Minister, in my opinion, should be delayed until Greece has determined the question which is now being agitated as to whether the country shall continue as a Kingdom or become a Republic. The King of Greece has recently left the country pending the decision of this question, a Regent is functioning in his place. The ultimate decision as to the form of government is one with which I feel we should in no way interfere but this does not preclude the resumption of formal relations with the Greek Government through a Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, postponing the formal accrediting of a Minister to the head of the State until Greece has herself decided—and Mr. Venizelos has proposed a plebiscite to decide the question—whether there shall be a Kingdom or a Republic.
I may add that I consider it particularly important to take whatever action is possible to regularize our relations with Greece before the consideration of the Turkish Treaty is taken up by the Senate and for this as well as for the other reasons outlined above I feel that the resumption of diplomatic relations is desirable.
In case you concur in the above recommendation I shall be glad to see that the necessary instructions are sent to the Legation at Athens.
I am [etc.]
- See telegram no. 17, Jan. 23, to the High Commissioner in Turkey, supra.↩
- Telegram not printed.↩
- See Foreign Relations, 1923, vol. ii, pp. 522 ff.↩