GREEK POLITICAL INFORMATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R005800280005-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 1999
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: September 19, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

G LASS ' SA i R)N )N lD AL 1F VAL 25X1)
INTELLQp iroved For Re t 9 0b' . NJC1A4 [F82-0045X ?81Q@
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
CAOUNTR'( Greece
SUBJECT Greek Political Information
PLACE
ACQUIRED
25X1A
DATE OF 25X1 A
~Y)1x _
=18 DOCOEEEf1T COEOTi1H1 HWFOa6iA'dIC3W AFE'ECTIWAT EdAYHOr7AH.OE#ER7SE
OF THE 4FNTCD !TATM WR810 T1 ONANEMC OR THE ESPIONAGE ACT 80
L 8. C.. 94 MID 32. Al AME'WD2D. ITS Y2ANOMISCii3E1 Ofd TRld REYoLAT{OW
OF ITA CONTEM IEI 413T IUMM88 TO AR DWAfiYHORlo L' FCEEt8O11 IS PR[*
..Tug 4T LAW., RSPRODUCY!OW or T1P3 VOW ED 1=1BEYED,.
25X1X
SOURCE
A- Lok odes Venizelos
DATE DISTR, 19 Sop .5-0
NO. OF PAGE`S 3
NO. OF ENCLS.
CLISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFOP RATION
1. Under the influence of palace circles and other rightists, `?'enizelos on
his return to Greece found an opportunity to go to the palace, t'stensibly to
pay his respects to the King after a trip abroad, but actually-`o persuade
the King that the latter must take the initiative in overthrowi:'- the
present Government and in giving the mandate to form another go',rermmnt,
probably with the participation of Panagiotis Kanellopoulos.
2., At the same time, Venizelos is encouraging the agitation foi the
formation of a government under Alexander Fapagos.. The center :;f the
latter effort is Kanellopoulos.
3. Although the King would very much like to see the present Government
fall, he nevertheless told Venizelos that he could not display G'-uch
initiative, because he does not see a ready solution to the pro:Iera of a
successor government and because he does not think the American: are willing,
for the present, to agree to the overthrow of the present Goverr-aentr
B. Pena oti.s Kanelloooulos
4,, Kanellopoulos also visited the King in order to support the effort made
by Venizelos.
5 The ulterior purpose of Kanellopoulos is said to be the forration of a
Gloverrment under Papagos to include Kostas blaniadakis, Admiral (.et,)
Economou and Reppas (retired Air Force General). Under the pol:1 ical
guidance of Kanellopoulos, they mould form a kind of "Direetora """.
bo Fapagos, hovaever, is not agreeable to this solution at the present time,
and. it is said that he is convinced that the time is not yet for such
a government.. Papagos is reserving this government solution for? the
expected intensification of the strain in international relations.
7. It is said that Kanellopoulos has initiated Venizelos into t dis "c:abali",
and that Venizelos agrees that Papagos is right i.. waiting, but ;hat the
-PF _ CLASSIFICATION cord D:.'JTIAL
STATETT ~ NAVY J1
3 wsRg i (- lsTRtBu1ioN
ARMY AIR A., FBI
This document is hereby regraded to
CONFIDENTIAL In accordance with the
~
letter of 16 October 1978 from the 61d
Director of Central Intelligence to the All
Archivist of the
United t es
?
..A?f~ A roykcT dot Rele a 2000/04/18 :D rj .1
M.Y. Re? E
e
EIDEIA Doctament No.
 Approved For Releas 82-00457R005800280005-7
rim ML
C0UF"ID?~ IAL
CJNTRAL I TN; IG:;ACE AG JCY
25X1A
"Directorate" should be formed to meet emergencies, particularly when the
international situation becomes more strained.
8. Kanellopoulos and Venizelos then reached a decision to appeal to the
King to overthrow the present Government and to have it succeeded by a
government under Venizelos with the participation of Kanellopoulos and with
the support of the Rightist parties in Parliament.
9. Kanellopoulos is said to have taken his relative lack of success in the
elections of 5 March 1950 quite hard. He is deeply grieved "because the
Greek people did not accord him proper recognition and did not give him the
parliamentary strength which he needed". During the time that he was a
Minister he collaborated closely with the military men and came under their
influence.
10. Friends of Kanellopoulos are beginning to say, "The umericn-is have
begun to come over to a government under a non parliamentary Prime Minister.
The Americans are discussing Admiral Voulgaris for this position".
C. Constantine Tsaldaris
11. Tsaldaris is well aware of the agitation and of the schemes of
Kanellopoulos and Venizelos, and he is afraid that the King may ;ive in
to the views of these two political leaders. Tsaldaris is certainly not
anxious for the Plastiras Govern ent to remain in power, but he is terrified
at the idea of Venizelos and Kanellopoulos taking over the government, in
which event it is believed almost certain that the Populist Part...,; would
desert Tsaldaris and join Kanellopoulos who would automatically become
leader of the Populist Party. Tsaldaris therefore hurried to th; Palace
and is said to have told the King that the Populist Party will not support
a government under Venizelos and Kanellopoulos, nor an.extra-par,.ianw:ntary
solution under Papagos.
D. Geode Papandreou
12. Papandreou is closely watching these political activities. He is
energetically preparing the organization of his own party, taking care that
it shall always be ready to meet any eventuality, particularly now elections.
He is assigning to various strategic positions leading members of his party,
and is preparing 'to find government posts for as many of his fol.-..owers as
possible. He is hoping in this way to win in the impending muni ipa1.
elections through the election of most of his friends.
6. Nicholas Plastiras
13. Flastiras is unable to comprehend political maneuvers, and he is
caught between the conflicts among his followers and also among is opponents.
He is trying "to achieve the reconstruction and pacification of 1'reec:e
through honesty and justice". He believes that in this way Gree'-e can
recover and will be the leading ev--:z 4?le of Democracy of the .Jests rn type.
14. Flastiras believes that he can use the opportunity of his attending
the assembly of the United :Nations at Lake 3uccess to make person-.al contact
with the leaders of the Western Powers and more important, with he
influential circles of the United States and. the Greek-Americ4fis He
believes that in this way, he will obtain greater material aid fo: Greece
and also moral support.
15. !'lastiras' opponents are afraid that he will win the confide-.rice of the
representatives of the various states, and they are therefore do.:: g everything
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2000/04/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005800280005-7
 Approved For Release 2000/04/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005800280005-7
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFI7LI4~1,.JAL
CF,tdTF%AL AGL'1CY
25X1A
possible to prevent his going to the United States. Plastiras, however,
has made up his mind to go.
16. P'lastiras' friends say that the King has almost been persuaded by
Kanellopoulos and Venizelos to overthrow the government, but that the
Americans, fortunately, have made their opposition to this clear to the
King, Thv King consequently told Venizelos and Kanellopoulos that the
Plastiras Government was the only one possible at present.
17. The "wily banker" knows better than anyone else how to adat.t himself
to political currents.
18. He is one of the few good economists in Greece. It is said that this
is the reason why Venizelos and Kanellopoulos always say that they will
"give the economic department (of the government which they hope to form)
to Tsouderos", because they think that this will reconcile the Americans
to the overthrow of the present government. Tsouderos is not denying that
this offer has been made, and he is not refusing it in advance, out neither
is he saying that he will accept the offer.
19. For this reason certain elements of 9Fr;K have tried to bind Tsouderos
officially to Plastiras, and some have even gone oo far as to propose
that Tsouderos be the leader of the coalition rather than Flastiras.
G. Democratic Coalition
20. The Democratic Coalition is keeping quiet at the present ti.e, but
they are closely watching all the political movements "behind th:; scenes".
21. Various members of the Democratic Coalition have stated, "w-- are
waiting to see what will happen. The death of the present regime will
result from Papagos'. taking; over the government".
22. There appears to be great activity in the offices of the Sofianopoulos
,arty both in extending the organization of the party and in the labor union
field.
Approved For Release M~A82-004578005800280005-7