REGRET THAT BRITAIN HAS TO WITHDRAW

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1947, Page 5

REGRET THAT BRITAIN HAS TO WITHDRAW

Received Alondav, 7 p.m. LOXJJGX, Alarch 3. An autlioritative stateiiient quored liy the Exchange Telegraph's Athena correspondent says that (ireoce has informed Britain and Aineriea that Greece agrees to American troops replacing the British in Greece. However, Afr. Lincoln .McVeagip the American Ambassador in Athens, said tlie Kmbassv had 110 information about the report, and Mr. C'onafas said: "The report is absolutely wrong. ' ' A Greek Foreign Office spokesmaa said tne Government and the nation regretted that Britain had found it neeessary to withdraw her troops from Greece, vvho had had ties witli Britain for a century, but tliis sentiment was mitigated by the conviction that Britain's place was to be taken by another Western Ally, strouger financially, militarily and diplomatically, and. whqse friendship inspired full confidence /in Greece 's future. The Exch'ange Telegraph Athens correspondent says tliat the reports from Washington 011 the British Xote, which asks in effect that AineriCa- take over the British commitments in Greece and Turkey, have caused a sensation in Greek political circles, particularlv as the news came unexpectedly. The Greek Inner Gabinet is believed to have discussed a report from the Greek Embassy in Washington on the British and American negotiations on Greece which began last fjeptember and are now believed to have entered the (inal stage. According to some Athens reports, tlie negotiations deal witli the entire problem of the Mediterranean. .