Page 94
Page 94
81
(C.A.S.(41)7
6TH JANUARY, 19417
SUPPLIES TO GRECE.
Second Report by the Committee for the
Co-ordination of Allied Supplies.
(Reference: C.o.s.(40) 438th Meeting, Item 3).
The Chiefs of Staff Committee have asked us to
report to them on the following points
2.
(a)
(b)
As to the present position as regards paragraph 2 of Foreign Office telegram No. 1419 from Athens, which reads as follows:
-
"I must, however, warn you against (a) that Greece cannot maintain herself in a state of war unless we provide the necessary supplies and equipment (e.g. my telegram No. 116 Stow) and (b) that the President of the Council's tacit assumption is that we can and will do this so that Greece may be in a condition to fight a spring campaign. This is the crux of the whole matter so far as Greco-Italian war is concerned and the difficulties of supply, of course, will be greatly aggravated if Germany intervenes".
Whether any further guidance is required from them as to priority provision of equipment to Greece.
These two questions are inter-dependent and
must be dealt with together since the provision of supplies to Greece depends to some extent on the priority that can be afforded to them and their transport.
3.
Under the existing priority arrangements laid down by the Chiefs of Staff in C.0.S. (40) 1004 the first order of priority is given to the security of the United Kingdom, its sea communications and its resources; the second to the safety of our interests in the Near and Middle East; the third to Greece mainly on the ground that she is engaged in active operations and is knocking the Italians about; and the fourth to Turkey, which is liable to change.
4.
Assuming that shipping is available we can do a good deal to meet Greek requirements in general stores, transport, supplies and raw material.
5.
In the all-important matter of weapons and ammunition, however, the position is much less satisfactory, whether considered from an immediate or a longer range point of view. The possible sources of supply are:-
-1-
Page 94
Page 94
Page 94