OPINION

June 10, 1959

GEORGIOS PAPANDREOU AND THE WEST: With regard to Greece’s recent rejection of a Romanian proposal for a missile-free Balkans as well as in response to a joint statement by the both Liberals and the Progressives in favor of a section of the proposal, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Georgios Papandreou, made the following statements yesterday: «I believe that with regard to economic and cultural issues, NATO member states should negotiate with the Soviet Union and their satellites. However, with regard to questions of security and defense, no discussion should be allowed unilaterally. For under the present circumstances in the world, security is collective. And our national security can only be safeguarded through collective security. Unilateral negotiations on issues of security lead to the dissolution of our alliances, where solidarity and unity against the Soviet monolith is the only guarantee of peace and each country’s national security. Each member of the alliance of the free world has the right and obligation to courageously defend its ideals and to have a say in joint decisions.»

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