101. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of State Kissinger and Ambassador at Large McCloskey 1
M: Hello.
K: Hello, OK. Sisco is to go to Athens. Callaghan agrees.2
[Page 333]M: OK.
K: Before he goes to Athens he is supposed [to go?] back to the Turks and he is to tell them first of all that we object strongly to their actions, that it has strong consequences for everybody, we now believe that the Clerides solution is the only one and that he has been instructed to [go to] Athens to propose it, and that we expect the Turks to go along with us. And we are interpreting that phrase “go along with it”. Now is there anything else on his tortured mind? Has he told you our whole plan on the telephone?
M: No.
K: What is his objection? Callaghan does not want him in London.
M: OK, that is doesn’t know and no one could tell him that before now. [sic]
K: Well, what was he going to do in London? Will you tell me?
M: Mr. Secretary, I’m sorry. I don’t know what he was going to do in London. I had to be interrupted twice while I was speaking with him.
K: What is his reason for not wanting to go to Athens?
M: He says there is no way the Greeks will accept the Clerides proposal that has already been rejected by the Turks furthermore.
K: Then he has been writing out the cables.
M: But that is what he is saying to me over our rough connection.
K: As to who will be president under those circumstances, Ecevit said government in Turkey does not care. Now, what in the hell does that mean?
M: OK. I think I still have an open line to him. I’ll go back to him and tell him he must go, we will have detailed instructions for him there and…
K: Yeah, but before he goes we want him to go back into the Turks. By now what else have the Russians not picked up? What is there left to say? OK, we’ve said so much on the open line we might as well go ahead. But Sisco is going to Athens and he is going to stay there. Now has anyone talked to Tasca?
M: We have been trying to get a call into him also. Bob Ingersoll is trying to get that call through.
K: Yeah, but not before we have had an evacuation. OK, let’s get to Tasca, but let’s not do everything on an open line.
M: OK.
K: Fine. Bye.