June 25, 1959
SPYROS MARKEZINIS: Moscow daily newspaper the New Times has published an article by Greece’s Progressive Party leader Spyros Markezinis on the question of a missile-free zone in the Balkans. Markezinis writes that peace is such an important issue that any meeting taking place anywhere in the world to promote peace is of importance. «However, precisely due to the utmost importance of this issue, I believe that… it should be accompanied by a realistic approach to each particular situation. In that sense, a summit meeting of Balkan states is impossible at the moment, due to the outstanding differences between Greece and some of its Balkan neighbors. This would not rule out a summit of Balkan states in Athens, for example, exclusively for the purpose of discussing a ‘missile-free zone’ in the Balkans, linked to an effective control system with guarantees from the major powers, the Soviet Union and the United States. But because any overall resolution of some of the more general problems would encounter several difficulties at this time, it would be better to seek, in the meantime, partial agreement on individual issues.»
