March 28, 1956
THREAT OF DICTATORSHIP: New York, 27 – The press here today have published telegrams from Athens citing reports to the effect that Greece appears to be about to withdraw from the NATO alliance and go over to the neutral group comprising Arabs and Yugoslavia, unless the United States is able to bring about a compromise solution on the Cyprus issue. In the event that this does not occur, according to the reports, a possible alternative to the establishment of a pro-neutral state would be the setting up of a dictatorship in Athens that is strong enough to deal with the changing waves of public opinion, which has been stirred up by pro-Left politicians who have been encouraging the people’s hysteria against the West. Of course neither the current conservative government in Athens nor the centrist opposition parties genuinely wish to experience a break with the West, but their leaders appear to lack the sufficient political courage or bearing to stand up to the growing anti-British and anti-Turkish sentiments, nor to the growing anti-American sentiment.
