765.68/294: Telegram
The Minister in Greece ( MacVeagh ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 7—2:45 p.m.]
227. The Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs told me today that the Italians are maintaining their concentrations on the Greek-Albanian frontier and confirmed that Greece is reinforcing her own troops in that region though he attempted to minimize the movement and emphasized that nothing like a general mobilization has occurred. He also said that the Italians are continuing to keep alive their anti-Greek campaign for possible future developments with what he described as “pin pricks [”] citing yesterday’s accusations, in the Albanian press, that the Archbishop of Janina is organizing armed bands on the border and unreasonable protests lodged at the Foreign Office against Greek visa regulations for foreigners. Regarding Lord Halifax’s reaffirmation of British guarantee yesterday26 he obviously felt this rather inopportune in Greece’s present delicate situation and said, “Thank God (and I cannot think how it got into his head) he at least included the statement that we are neutral”.
In a talk with me yesterday Mr. Maximos, ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs, voiced the pessimism widespread in informed circles here. He said he believed the real Axis aim in regard to Greece is to bring her eventually under complete control and this could only result in war. In this connection the German Minister recently informed a friend of mine that immediately after Rumania had renounced British guarantee27 the Axis intimated to Greece that it would be well for her to do the same but met with no encouragement. I asked the Under Secretary about this today and he admitted that suggestions had been thrown out remarking in addition that when the next serious pressure is applied against Greece he expects it to be by both Italy and Germany combined.