https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/6fc603ca859d3624908cdf6b812992f3.pdf 1d82991a2f42bee65373a7fc4a5cd117 PDF Text Text ... ' _, DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, .. .. • NUMBERED LETTER · ....••............. SECRET , ••............. Secur1ty TO: THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, OTTAWA, CANADA. .. FROM: ..... .. t tIt Subject: ..•. f tt t t t t • t t t I t If I ' It I Itt t I tf t I Itt t t t I Itt t t t Itt t I Itt I Itt 0 Itt .. .. I'' o t I I 0 o .. I. 0 I I Itt I •• t t't t t t t t I Itt t t t tIt It .. . I 0. It 0 I* t Date: ...• . En.closures: ....l I .................... . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. t No:.!./. 7 ......... ............. ,.......... . ................ _.. . Athens .f. Greece. fIt t CANADA. v t .•...•.. .... ........ , ............. . Post File No: .•.••..•..••..••... , ... Ottawa File No. I References The question of the establishment of nuclear.weapons and/or nuclear warheads in Greece is of great political delicacy. Indeed, at a time when the opposition is conducting a war of nerves against the Government and is looking avidly for an issue, a declaration by the Caramanlis Government at this time that Greece has nuclear weapons on her soil might start a major political storm which could weaken dangerously the Government's position. 1il ___ 2 2. The Government has consistently been quick to deny any rumour that there are atomic weapons on Greek territory. As late as May 1961 the Under-Secretary of Defence, replying to a question in the Chamber as to whether the information then published in the press about the existence of a stock of nuclear weapons in Greece was tnue, said that he had nothing to add to the Prime Minister's previous statement on the subject, i.e., that in. the event of Greece being called upon to establish nuclear bases on her territory the Chamber would first be consulted. · ('-' "AA- . J 1 / V / • v1 ,. Distribution to Posts NATO Paris 3. It is believed, however, that the new F-84-F Squadron (335) established at Tenagra less than 100 miles from Athens and referred to as the "Special Weapons" Squadron carries atomic weapons. It has absolute priority over any other unit in the Royal Hellenic Air Force as regards logistics lJ- support including fue 1. 011 V 4. During the spring of 1960 the air base at Tenagra was extended by the addition of new buildings after deep excavations had been made. Shortly after the completion of the site, the USAF built tta base within the base" which houses USAF enlisted men -- half of whom are guards and the other half technicians. The enlisted company numbers around 36 men. The whole of the 335 Squadron area is fenced in with a high wire .fence and it is understood that Greek o.f.ficers and men are not allowed to visit the USAF detachments area. Furthermore, the squadron is apparently visited .frequently by high ranking military personnel including .four-star generals. Vt. • •• 2 Ext. 182A (Rev. 2/52) A0012895_73-000688 �sEcRET - 2 - 5. The Greek press and public_are extremely sensitive to mentions of this issue and the· Government does its best to· repress discussion of it. You will recall the statement made by Colonel Ripple, Chief of Staff to p-and-C NATO, Eastern European Command, at a press conference at Ismir on November 22, 1961. The Greek newspapers pointed out then that only the-Extreme Left had ih the past alleged that Greece w_as. in possession of nuclear weapons and asked the Government for clarification. There was no reply from_ the Government. 6. The establishment in· Greece, however, of missile bases without atomic warheads does not seem to raise the same controversies although implications are pretty clear that such bases could eventually be equipped with atomic warheads if indeed they are not so equipped already. 7. On March 8, 1962, the Minister of- National Defence ·gave the following written reply to a question put by a number of deputies belonging to the Extreme Left in regard to the establishment in- the island of Crete of a guided missile training base. "(a)- Within the framework of NATO, Greece has in principle accepted the establishment of an Allied Training Centre for Guided Missiles in Crete, to be under rull national control. The Centre will be a purely instructional unit and, by the very nature of its organization and construction, is divested of all possibilities for offensive or even defensive use as a military · base. t• (b) The basic reasons which led to the selection of Crete as the site for the Centre were partly technical and partly economic. The island's mild climate and high annual degree of sunlight, combined with the relatively limited sea and air communications, are all factors· favourable to the Centre's training activities. At the same time, the establishment and upkeep of such a Centre, which will entail fre.quent visits of scientific and technical personnel, will, it is expected, be a source of considerable earnings to the island to whose-economic development the Government attaches special importance. But, apart from the choice of Crete for the.establishment of the Centre, this will be a great acquisition for the country, because of the enormous scientific interest attaching to up-to-date research and technical developments with which the work of this training unit will be closely associated and from which it is ·not possible for Greece to stand permanently aside • ••• 3 A0012895_75-000690 �',, - 3 - -·"t . . . .. .-. .,. . SECrtET The grounds on of which it had not been sought to establish such a Centre in other NATO countries, on whose territory there already exist or it is proposed to establish missile launching sites, are obvious from what _has been already s·tated and are based on the favourable climate and communication conditions of Crete as with those prevailing in other European countries of NATO, combined with the already existing facilities for the accommodation of personnel, etc.'" · 8. on April 18, 1962 the 11 Athens Daily Post" published the attached story concerning tions between S.H.A.P.E. and the Government of Greece to establish a NATO missile training base in Crete. An AP news item today reports that this story was confirmed in Paris by a spokesman for S.H.A.P.E. We find it somewhat difficult to reconcile the information contained in this article with the Minister of National Defence's contention that the base would be ttunder full national controln. Asked if the base would.be used for training in the use of atomic missiles, the spokesman is reported to -have sa.id "not necessarily'• and to have stated that it is premature to speak of who would use this base. The Embassy. • ...f. i f\ i \ I I A0012895_76-000691 �l'aJf I ---- ... - - .. _;..._. '·--- ./ .America and Western Germany to rbe main users of training facilities I I iBan on navigation in part of the . IM- I N_I_A_ T __U_- Ro . --T-: A----R-GE.TS -·TO I . -:-BE u· S·E·- 0 . t A-T- --'· A COST Of 7,500,000 DOLLARS A·. YEAR -: .. fDr-the time bemg, In view· of the per feetion of the inter-continen ·· •0peration of the range in (r-et;e i r . ·11 bene f•t1 Greece ··1mmense • Iy '· WI political situa.tion in Turkey. The Crete Centre will at sal (Ajax and Hercules ground to-air missiles. The Hercules ' has a range of 85 miles at Elias P. Demetracopoulos 'so,ooo feet altitude, and can Iintercept enemy jets at three The Supreme Command of the Atlantic Alliance Forces I times the speed of sound); in Paris (S.H.A.P.E.) formally announced to tlhe Greek Gov-' and one training unit of . ernment that seven NATO countries of•ficially informed Hawk ground-to-air missiles . . SHAPE,'s Commander-in-Chief, US General L. Norstad, of FOUR L·AUNCHERS , their decision to use the training facilities in Their · ·· decision is linked to the P:t:ojected creation of NATO's I Each unit will have four :, $50,000,000 Missile Training Centre in Crete. ; launchers and the 1 guidance equipment. The ac. These countries are Meanwliile plans for · tual firing zone will be a rec- , Germany the United states, . NATO Missile Training Cen- tangle, measuring 80 miles by I1 France, ' Belgium, Holland, · tre are proceeding apace. The 20 miles, starting from AKRO Norway and Denmark: Short- second stage of a survey con- TIRI to N.E. direction. The ly Italy and Turkey are ex- ducted on the spot. by the land area will be two by two ' ! pected to follow suit. Some Ralph Parsons Company Of. miles in Akrotiri, Heraklion 50 reresentatives of these user Los Angeles, has now been , 1and the island of Dia. On Countries spent three weeks completed. U.S. General Ja- this tiny Aegean Sea island a in Greece, and visited the cen mes Van Ohit;f ·, complex rad,ar system and , tre site in Crete. The main of the Amencan Military MIS ' 1 other electronic devices of the , user countries will be Western to Grt;ece du.ring gue · I Missile Range will be instalt-Germany and the U.S.A. for nlla war, Is a VICe-President led. Reai. fire will be used the American Forces stationed of this company. He not warheads. !I! _ ._ ed here th1s survey With the VIew of this a sea zone mea--" ---Greek suring 80 by 20 miles north and fmal stage will begm of Crete will be barred to na , when a call for international vigation. It was made clear J bids__ will lbe made by Greece that in orde_r to cut down ·. this November, for the conszards to ml, a safety device truction and procurement· of C?mbining rada.r !1nd electroequipment for the Crete cenme computers Will oause the 1 prompt and automatic destruc 1b-e_. I tion of any missile, 1before it ever strays out of this zone. By our Po I it i c a I .Ed Ito r, • ,, k • I 1--" (Continued on page 4) , A0012895_77-000692 �' < .... ® .. ---- - -------. training of Allied forces. Fa- (Continued jrom page 1) . ' . . cilities for space research and .. ;:Miniature• ·radar-guided jet i . can potenr"pianes, both ground-and-air- I tially- be oeveloped·. on the , launched, will be used as_ tar- site, with a resulting gain of. e-ets. It is estimated that 250 'valuable experience for Greek rsuch ., targets, each · costing scientists. User-nations are to $3C,OOO, will be pay operation _co_ sts main Considera.ble mterest has tenance of trmnees, w1th a re ·beEn shown for .participating -' · . :7"" · · < . __ in the international bid fDr , - choosiag the target system to; ·r suiting inflow of. foreign ex1 be used. Mr. A. Callam, Vice- . change and'-jactivation of busi i President of Northrop I ness aCtivity in Crete. Bilate, ration ----: one of the leadmg : a:greements·.concerning the , US missile and space compa- ' breakdown of costs and prol nies visite_d al-, ' gram of use -for the Centre ; had _dLscuss1ons on are to be signed with_ user' tnJSj\(]uestwn w1th the Greek_ nations soon. Greece as a host · fQ_J Defense: In view 1 nation will pay fo! the x;ecesof advan- • sary land expropriations_ . a:nd .tages· of bmldmg those targets some other minor faC1ht1es. in Greece in conjunction with Most of the expenses for the a plant for repairs of Greek construction of the range and ·Air Force jet engines, which the in-stallations will be paid are- now sent to France, as by NATO's Infrastructure Pro well as for the engines of jet 1 gram. commercial aircraft, the whole 1 · _ · ,matter is under serious consi-. Greece \\111 deration by the competent· save funds hitherto spent Greek authorities. . I sending 0reek and. . . · . . Force umts to tram m mlSSlThe NATO centre m l1es in the United States and will have facilities for the s1.Germany. In warmultaneous ·four-week trainthe centre cim afford ing of four Allied bat the island of Crete fool-proof talions. · About . air protection. Security meaof all NATO natwnahtles w1ll sures to be adopted will be be in Crete at any one time, such as to avert any repetiall year round. The tion of the Solakov incident permanent 800-man m- (the Bulgarian pilot who over eluding civilian techmcians, flew recently a NATO missile will be basically Greek, al- range in south Italy). thoug.l:} in_ I NATO's decision to estaforeignspe?mhsts w1ll_ be a val blish its training missile cenlable. ,_ Th_1s ·Is tre in Crete set off major rithe ()f work!}rs to_ be,, valries among NATO memfo_.t the.-'< bers. A French· offer to have 1,egiployedl g_!1the In. th1s __ the centre built in the Sahara 1 desert was turned down, as .ting also were pressing suggestions control ' of the Crete centre j by Italy and Turkey !(Which preEently is' in the · the centre built on the1r sml. hands of the Greek Air ForDetails of the operation of ce) limis of those \ the range, and_ the political _; cent_reiS in I and . miss1le the Unitea States wh1ch are ·[ sions from 1ts establishment ooerated by, t.he Army. on -Greek s0il are expected to -The 'of t_he Crete cen be d-iscussed during tre is not restncted to _.the coming NATO meetmg m t_ _ Athens, early next month, I the Foreign and Defense M1nisters of the Atlantic Allian Lately Greece has been the target of strong Soviet Bloc cold war press1;1re. , I. I \ I l --- A0012895_78-000693 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW03019 Title A name given to the resource CDNW03019 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived "NATO - Nuclear weapons - Policy - NATO long term planning," RG25-A-3-b, vol 5959, file 50219-AL-2-40, part 4-2, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Nuclear Weapons Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en