January 7, 1954
US-BRITISH COMPETITION: Well-informed sources are saying that the refusal by the US government to allow Greece to buy eight destroyers is due mainly to reasons of general policy. Specifically, the United States has said it was unwilling to undertake the repair of the destroyers mainly because it does not want to pay for the repair of British ships and prefers to supply the Greek navy in another way. (…) Therefore, the possibility of Great Britain making the destroyers available to Greece as a gift is under consideration. However, this solution has also met with difficulty, as Greece is not in a position to repair the ships at its own cost. (…) With regard to the question of the British Navy Mission remaining in Greece, the defense minister, Mr Kanellopoulos, has said the following: «The British Navy Mission, which in the past and today has provided invaluable services to the Greek navy, will continue to remain in Greece, but the costs will not burden the Greek budget but that of the British.»
