June 17, 1956
PANAYIOTIS PIPINELIS: Mr Pipinelis, in statements yesterday regarding the imminent visit of the foreign minister of the Soviet Union, Mr Dimitri Sepilov, to Athens, stressed that Greece should be extremely cautious regarding visits of this kind for which insufficient diplomatic preparations have been made, for they could lead to excessive hopes or equally to unpleasant misinterpretations. Furthermore, he emphasized that irrespective of any other issues the Greek government was to discuss with the Soviet minister (the Cyprus issue, economic relations and so on), Greece should make clear its position on the question of Bulgaria, Albania and Turkey. Russia is able to contribute to a satisfactory solution to Greece’s relations with Bulgaria and Albania and we have the right to expect results from an active role by the Soviet Union. At the same time, it must be explained that, irrespective of the current difficulties, Greece is in no way willing to engage in any action that could be interpreted as hostile to Turkey. (Ed. note: During the Second World War, Mr Pipinelis was Greece’s ambassador to Moscow).
