868.00/11–745: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 7—2:35 p.m.]
11700. We spoke to Sargent9 today about FonOff announcement that Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hector McNeil would be leaving shortly for Athens.
Sargent told us that McNeil was planning to leave London for Athens on November 12. He would be accompanied by Hayter, head of the Southern Dept. The two plan on spending about a week in Greece.
Sargent said the primary purpose of the visit was to “give some strength and encouragement” to the new Greek Govt. The Greeks he continued had been encouraged to act freely and entirely on their own in forming a new Govt. This they had done. The results were, to quote Sargent, “a poor Govt but their own”.
FonOff, Sargent then said, was concerned about the deterioration of the economic and financial position of Greece. McNeil would try to give some advice to Greek officials on how to meet the most immediate and pressing problems in this field. He would also try to give some guidance on closer cooperation between Greek Govt officials and UNRRA. Jackson, Deputy Director of UNRRA, Sargent added in this connection, had recently complained to FonOff about failure of Greek officials effectively to assist UNRRA representatives.
McNeil would also during his stay in Athens, according to Sargent, see what guidance he could give Greek officials in getting the Greek Civil Service properly reestablished and functioning once more.
Sent Dept as 11700; repeated Athens as 77.
- Sir Orme G. Sargent, British Deputy Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩