868.51/1675
The Secretary of State to the Greek Ambassador (Diamantopoulos)91
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I am glad to inform you that the report of the Greek Minister of Finance, which you submitted to the Department last December,92 has had the earnest and sympathetic attention of this Government in connection with its consideration of your Government’s request for financial assistance.
Discussion of this matter with the British having indicated that they were, generally speaking, prepared to provide the sterling credits which may be needed by your Government, we have endeavored principally to find means of assisting, within the limits of existing legislative [Page 176] authorization, in meeting your Government’s urgent needs in the dollar field. It was evident that the bulk of the dollar expenditure falling upon your Government was payment of the charter-hire for the Swedish vessels engaged in transporting relief shipments to Greece. As you already know, arrangements have been made for these chargés to be taken over by the Lend-Lease Administration, for the period beginning January 1, 1943 and continuing until June 30, 1944, unless the Greek relief operation shall have been terminated prior to that date.
In addition, the Greek War Relief Association, Incorporated, of New York, is planning, with the approval of this Department and of other appropriate agencies of this Government, to undertake a program of assistance for the Greek refugees in the Near East and Africa, which should likewise lighten the burden of the increasing charges which the Greek Government is having to meet in this connection.
I hope that these steps will prove adequate to enable your Government to meet its pressing financial needs.
Sincerely yours,
[Copies of the letter of April 26 to President Roosevelt and of the letter of May 4 to the Greek Ambassador were transmitted to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom in instruction No. 2682, May 5, not printed. The Ambassador was “requested to express to the Foreign Office the Department’s appreciation of the information transmitted in his telegram under reference and to inform it of the steps which have been taken to assist the Greek Government financially.” The telegram under reference was No. 5202, September 17, 6 p.m., Foreign Relations, 1942, volume ii, page 803.]