Greece: Recognizing Realities

Whether loved or not, the junta led by Colonel-turned-Premier George Papadopoulos has proved two crucial facts beyond doubt: 1) it exercises absolute control over Greece and 2) it is able to do so without the blessing of exiled King Constantine. In recognition of those realities, 13 nations, including the U.S., Britain and the Soviet Union, last week resumed normal relations with the Papadopoulos government.

That ended the diplomatic boycott that foreign nations had imposed on the Athens regime since King Constantine fled to Rome last December after his abortive coup. From now on, the junta will be able to conduct the business of state just like any other government, and the junta-appointed regent will be recognized as head of state by other nations until the King returns. The action undercut King Constantine’s bargaining position with the junta, but he kept silent.

Royalist Removals. Even as it gained status abroad, the junta consolidated its position at home by punishing the officials and army officers who had sided with the King. It removed former Premier Constantine Kollias, who had accompanied the King on his flight to Rome, from his post as Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court and gave dishonorable discharges to 33 army officers, including Lieut. General George Peridis, who tried to rally army troops in northern Greece to the King’s cause. It also dismissed 56 university professors for disloyalty to the regime and barred them from teaching in Greece for life. Meanwhile, seven colonels who hold posts as secretaries general in the junta Cabinet followed the example of Premier Papadopoulos by resigning from the army in order to give the government the appearance of a fully civilian regime.

Premier Papadopoulos, whose latest instruction to police chiefs was that it is better to let a guilty man go free than imprison an innocent one, was trying to make certain that his government abided by such precepts. Leftist Composer Mikis Theodorakis (Zorba the Greek), who was arrested four months ago for plotting to overthrow the regime, was released from prison. Two Athenian newsmen were also set free. Even so, some 2,500 prisoners remained on the Aegean islands of Ieros and Yiaros in camps that originally held Communist detainees during the 1946-49 civil war.

Underground Control. The prisoners are the remnants of the 6,000 or so Communist suspects who were rounded up in the early hours of the military takeover last April. The junta claims that they remain in prison only because they refuse to sign pledges promising to refrain from political activity. Following an attack on the junta from Paris by Andreas Papandreou, who was recently released from prison and allowed to leave Greece, security officers might be inclined to keep such men in custody a bit longer. While ruling out violence for his own Center Union Party, Papandreou predicted that, unless the junta steps aside, guerrilla war is unavoidable. “The process of organization,” he said “is already under way.” In the event of such action, control of the underground might well pass into the hands of the Communists.