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for a Balkan campaign;
and failure on the part of Greece to take any defensive measures will not spare her from a German attack when the time comes.
776
You should, therefore, approach the Greek Government on these lines. You should also point out that the Greeks themselves would be the final authority as to the use made of their aerodromes, but that the extent of our assistance to them in the air must be governed among other considerations, by the availability of suitable aerodromes, The Greek Government may be
sured that we will not use aerodromes in Greece to attack territories which the Germans may have occupied without their permission to use them for that purpose, but in case they are attacked by Germany in the spring we must possess full information about them. We would agree to our officers
doing their reconnaissance in plain clothes.
8.
If the President of the Council (see paragraph 4 of your telegram under reference) asks whether His Majesty's Government are prepared to face the risk of an immediate German attack on Greece you should reply that His Majesty's Government do not rate this risk high, but it is against this contingency that action is necessary at once; and generally speaking the measure of assistance which His Kajesty's Government can give Greece in the event of German attack would largely depend on how far aerodromes in Greece have been prepared beforehand.
9。
I should prefer to await reaction of Greek Government before giving you discretion for which you ask in paragraph 3 of your telegram No. of your telegram No. 1419 of 25th December7.
Repeated to M.E.I.C. for Air Officer Commanding Middle East No. 106, Angora No. 1648.
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