US DIPLOMATIC CABLE - CIA 1975
GREEKS BEWARE BULGARIA BEARING GIFTS!
ELLA RE VOULGARIA ! - FILE (FRIEND in Greek) OR FOE: TODOR ZHIVKOV ?
TI KANIS RE GLIGOROV ? -
The Scramble for Salonika and "Red" Kavala.
One year year after after the fall of the Greek Military dictatorship in 1974, Communist Bulgaria, under its staunch nationalist leader Todor Zhivkov, launched an aggressive diplomatic campaign under the cover of international trade to extend his country's influence in the northern part of Greece, referred to as Aegean Macedonia where a sizable ethnic Macedonian population lived. At the same time Communist Yugoslavia sent two Macedonian leaders to get in on the action as well, a 1975 US diplomatic cable has revealed.
Greek authorities held fears that the north of the country would fall under communist hegemony and dubbed one town as "Red" Kavala and feared the heavy handed attempt by Sofia to exert its cultural influence:
IN ADDITION, BULGARIANS ATTEMPTING TO PENETRATE
CULTURAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE HERE WITH REGULAR VISITS
AND PRESENTATIONS. FOR EXAMPLES, LOCAL CONGEN STAGED
ELABORATE (BUT PAINFUL) MUSICAL PROGRAM MAY 22, AND
SOFIA FOLK BALLET WHICH BEGAN TWO WEEK RUN HERE MAY 31
TO APRIL CONGEN SLAVCHEV HOSTED COSTLY RECEPTION AND
FILM SHOWING AT LEADING DOWNTOWN HOTEL ATTENDED BY
RANKING LOCAL DIGNITARIES, INCLUDING MINISTER FOR NORTHERN
GREECE, TO PROMOTE GREEK TOURISM IN BULGARIA.
The Communist Yugoslavia delegation to "Northern Greece" was headed by trusted Tito lieutenant, the Slovenian Stale Dolenc (misspelled in the document as Donalts) and included two Macedonian leaders, Kiro Gligorov, an economics specialist and Speaker of the Federal Yugoslav Parliament and later to become Macedonia's first President in 1991 after independence, and Blagoj Popov. The Greek side seemed to be relaxed with Gligorov and Popov despite the possibility of the Macedonian issue being raised. The Greeks described the Yugoslav visit as a "goodwill tour."
YUGOSLAVIA: PRINCIPAL NEW YUGOSLAV INITIATIVE HERE
WAS MAY 2-6 VISIT TO THESSALONIKI BY COMMUNIST PARTY
SECRETARY GENERAL DONALTS (PHONETIC), WHO REPORTEDLY IS SECONDRANKING GOY OFFICIAL AFTER TITO; PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT GLEGOROV(PHONETIC) AND PM OF SKOPJE GOV POPOV (PHONETIC). VISIT,WHICH INCLUDED CALLS OF MINISTER FOR NORTHERN GREECE
MARTIS AND OTHER LOCAL OFFICIALS, WAS DESCRIBED TO US
BY GREEK OFFICIALS AS "GOODWILL TOUR", BUT MAY HAVE
INCLUDED DISCUSSION OF SENSITIVE MACEDONIAN ISSUE. ON
COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE HAVE NOTED NO DIMINUTION OF YUGOSLAV
SHIPPING HERE FOLLOWING FEBRUARY 4 TERMINATION
OF AGREEMENT FOR EXCLUSIVE YUGOSLAV FREE PORT.
1975 US Diplomatic cable - link
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INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-03 H-02 INR-07 L-03
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FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9162
INFO ZEN/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
AMEMBASSY SOFIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 1 OF 3 ATHENS 4426
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PFOR, PINS, PINT, GR, XH
SUBJ: EASTERN BLOC ACTIVITIES IN NORTHERN GREECE
REF: A. THESSALONIKI 300
B. THESSALONIKI 310
C. THESSALONIKI 288
D. THESSALONIKI A-08, MAY 28, 1975
E. ATHENS 3968
THIS IS A REPEAT OF THESSALONIKI 344: FOLLOWING REPRESENTS OUR
COLLECTED THOUGHTS ON HEIGHTENED EASTERN BLOC ACTIVITY IN
THIS AREA OVER PAST SIX MONTHS.
1. SUMMARY. DRAMATIC INCREASE IN EASTERN BLOC ACTIVITY
IN NORTHERN GREECE IN PAST HALF YEAR SHOULD, WE BELIEVE,
BE VIEWED IN LIGHT OF VIRTUALLY COMPLETE ABSENCE OF COMMUNIST
PRESENCE HERE DURING PRECEDING 8 YEARS. MOREOVER, LOCAL
COMMUNIST BLOC ACTIVITIES UNDOUBTEDLY LOOM LARGER IN CONSERVA-
TIVE AND SMALL TOWN ATMOSPHERE OF THESSALONIKI. IT PROBABLY
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INEVITABLE THAT, GIVEN MORE RECEPTIVE CLIMATE CURRENTLY
PREVAILING IN GREECE, NEARBY COUNTRIES SUCH AS BULGARIA AND
ROMANIA WOULD SEEK ACTIVELY TO PROMOTE COMMERCIAL AND OTHER
INTERESTS IN THIS STRATEGIC AREA. THEIR EFFORTS N THIS
REGARD RECEIVE STRONG IMPETUS FROM PRESENT GOG OBJECTIVE
OF "REGIONAL NORMALIZATION" (REF E) AS RECENTLY EVIDENCED
IN CARAMANLIS' JOURNEYS TO ROMANIA AND YUGOSLAVIA, HIS
IMMINENT TRIP TO BULGARIA, AND A FLURRY OF LOWER LEVEL
BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS OF THE GOG WITH BALKAN OFFICIALS.
RECOGNIZING THESE CONTRIBUTIVE FACTORS, ACCELERATION OF
COMMUNIST-BLOC ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA NONETHELESS
REMAINS IMPRESSIVE AND BEARS FURTHER SURVEILLANCE.
END SUMMARY.
2. GENERAL: COMMUNIST BLOC EFFORTS TO REASSERT INFLUENCE
AND COMMERCIAL PRESENCE IN NORTHERN GREECE EXPLINT NEW
POLITICAL CLIMATE AND PERCEPTIBLE INCREASE IN LEFTIST
STRENGTH WHICH CONGEN HAS NOTED OVER PAST YEAR. LATER IS
UNDOUBTEDLY OVERREACTION, PARTICULARLY AMONG UNIVERSITY
AND STUDENT ELEMENTS, TO SUPPRESSION OF THE JUNTA YEARS.
DISPLAYS IN MOST LOCAL BOOKSHOPS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE DOMI-
NATED BY GREEK LANGUAGE MATERIALS OF EVERY LEFTIST AND
COMMUNIST PERSUASION. SIMILARLY, LEFTIST SPEAKERS ARE IN
OBVIOUS VOGUE AT UNIVERSITY, SUCH AS LEADER OF FRENCH BRANCH
OF FOURTH INTERNAL, ALAIN KRIVINE, WHO DELIVERED TWO
LECTURES MAY 23-24 ON "SOCIALIST REVOLUTION" AND "PORTUGAL".
3. MORE SERIOUS MANIFESTATION OF COMMUNIST STRENGTH AT
LOCAL LEVEL IS ELECTION OF LEFTIST THESSALONIKI MAYOR
PAPADOPOULOS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL WHICH INCLUDES A
NUMBER OF KNOWN COMMUNISTS, ONE OF WHOM WAS ELECTED
COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUNE 8. SIMILAR PATTERN ALSO TRUE IN THESSALONIKI
SUBURBS AND KEY CENTERS OF NORTHERN GREECE. ALSO CAUSE FOR CONCERN
IS REPORTED RELAXATION OF GOG POLICY ON REPATRIATION OF GREEKS
FROM EASTERN EUROPE, A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF WHICH
EMIGRATED FROM NORTHERN GREECE.
4. IN COMMERCIAL AREA, THE GOG HAS CALLED FOR INCREASED
TRADE WITH EASTERN EUROPE. THE ANNUAL THESSALONIKI FAIR
APPEARS TO BE EVOLVING INTO A SHOWCASE FOR BLOC MERCHANDISE
AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, WHILE OTHER COUNTRIES, OURSELVES
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INCLUDED, ARE FORCED BY RISING EXHIBIT COSTS AND COMMERCIAL
PRIORITIES ELSEWHERE TO A MORE MODEST PRESENCE.
5. REGARDING THE STEP-UP IN BLOC CULTURAL PROGRAMS, THE
RATHER MODEST AUDIENCES FOR BULGARIAN CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS
HAVE BEEN GATHERED THROUGH INVITATION WITH THE TICKETS
USUALLY GRATIS. THERE HAVE BEEN EAST GERMAN PROGRAMS WITH
MORE COMMERCIAL ENTERTAINMENT APPEAL WHICH HAVE BEEN FULLY
BOOKED THROUGH TICKET SALES. ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS,
BLOC COUNTRIES' FILMS AND PROGRAMS ARE PLACED THROUGH
COOPERATION WITH SPECIAL INTERESTS' STUDENT CLUBS -
FILMS, DRAMA, SCIENCE. COMMUNITY AND CAMPUS CULTURAL
AND FRIENDSHIP SOCIETIES HAVE NOT AS YET BEEN ACTIVATED
TO SERVE AS A FORUM OR CONDUIT FOR BLOC CULTURAL PROGRAMMING.
GREEK LANGUAGE RADIO PROGRAMMING, PRIMARILY OF AN ENTERTAIN-
MENT NATURE, FROM SKOPJE AND SOFIA, AND ENGLISH BROADCASTING
FROM TIRANA WITH OBVIOUS IDEOLOGICAL THEMES, ARE THE LONG-
5-,$8,& ?-:(&497,$ 59 5#3 :7443,5 08:(-UP IN CULTURAL
PRESENTATIONS IN THE NORTH OF GREECE.
6. FOLLOWING ON A COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY BASIS IS A SUMMARY
OF RECENT COMMUNIST INITIATIVES HERE IN THESSALINIKI. BULGARIANS
HAVE BEEN BY ALL ODDS MOST ACTIVE AND, WE BELIEVE WITH SOVIET BACKING
AND PISSIBLY GUIDANCE, APPEAR TO BE SPEARHEADING BLOC
EFFORTS TO INCREASE LOCAL PRESENCE. OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH
AS POLAND, WHICH BUILT AND SUPERVISES OPERATION OF
SUGAR REFINERIES AT SERRES, XANTHI AND ORESTIAS, HAVE NOT
NOTABLY INCREASED PRESENCE AND ARE NOT INCLUDED BELOW.
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ACTION EUR-12
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-03 H-02 INR-07 L-03
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INFO AMEMBASSYBELGRADE
AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
AMEMBASSY SOFIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 2 OF 3 ATHENS 4426
7. BULGARIA: MOST ACTIVE OF BLOC COUNTRIES HERE, BULGARIA
ESTABLISHED CONSULATE GENERAL IN THESSALONIKI
IN JANUARY 1974 AND HAS SPONSORED SERIES OF HIGH LEVEL
DELEGATION IN 1975. LATTER INCLUDE VISITS BY BULGARIAN
TRADE UNDER SECRETARY CHRISTOV JANUARY 19, TRANS-
PORT UNDER SECRETARY FERDOV FEBRUARY 8-11, UNDER SECRE-
TARY OF MINES ZAPRENOV FEBRUARY 16, ARCHBISHOP NICOLAI
MAKAROPOLSKY APPROXIMATELY MAY 5-15, AND PATRIARCH MAXIMOS
WHO RECENTLY VISITED THESSALONIKI, KATERINI AND MOUNT
ATHOS WITH LARGE RETINUE AS PART OF PUBLICIZED MAY 28-
JUNE 4 VISIT TO GREECE. BOTH OF LATTER ARE REPORTEDLY
INTERESTED IN AUGMENTING NUMBER OF EASTERN (SLAVIC)
ORTHODOX MONKS AT MT. ATHOS, WHICH ORIGINALLY BROACHED DURING
OCTOBER 1972 VISIT BY RUSSIAN PATRIARCH PIMEN.
8. ON COMMERCIAL SIDE, BULGARIAN EXPANSION STIMULATED
BY FEBRUARY 13 AGREEMENT FOR INCREASING TRANSIT TRADE
THROUGH PORT OF THESSALONIKI AND UPGRADING OF THESS-
LONIKI-KULATA RAILWAY. AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, BULGARIANS
ALSO SIGNED AGREEMENT FEBRUARY 19 WITH HELLENIC STEEL FOR
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INITIAL $9 MILLION EXCHANGE OF SEMI-PROCESSED COILS FOR
FINISHED PRODUCTS AND ARE EXPLORING POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION
OF ALUMINUM PROCESSING PLANT IN XANTHI AREA TO
PROMOTE LINKAGE OF TWO COUNTRIES' POWER GRIDS. IN THIS
CONNECTION, CONGEN SLAVCHEV NOTED TO ME (I.E. BRENNAN) THAT
APPROXIMATELY 45 PERCENT OF BULGARIAN-GREEK TRADE IS CONDUCTED
IN NORTH, AND BULGARIANS WILL SOON ESTABLISH TWO-MAN
COMMERCIAL OFFICE HERE. BULGARIAN OFFICIALS ARE TALKING
ABOUT A POSSIBLE INCREASE IN THEIR TONNAGE HANDLED THROUGH
THESSALONIKI FROM A PROJECTED 400,000 TONS ANNUALLY IN
1975 TO THREE MILLION TONS BY 1978.
9. IN ADDITION, BULGARIANS ATTEMPTING TO PENETRATE
CULTURAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE HERE WITH REGULAR VISITS
AND PRESENTATIONS. FOR EXAMPLES, LOCAL CONGEN STAGED
ELABORATE (BUT PAINFUL) MUSICAL PROGRAM MAY 22, AND
SOFIA FOLK BALLET WHICH BEGAN TWO WEEK RUN HERE MAY 31
TO APRIL CONGEN SLAVCHEV HOSTED COSTLY RECEPTION AND
FILM SHOWING AT LEADING DOWNTOWN HOTEL ATTENDED BY
RANKING LOCAL DIGNITARIES, INCLUDING MINISTER FOR NORTHERN
GREECE, TO PROMOTE GREEK TOURISM IN BULGARIA.
PROGRAM FOR 20TH WORLD VETERINARY CONGRESS HERE
JULY 6-12 ALSO INDICATES DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH
BULGARIAN PRESENCE AMONG PARTICIPANTS AND SPEAKERS.
10. ACTIVITIES ABOVE COORDINATED BY 6-7 MAN STAFF
HEADED BY SLAVCHEV, WHO FLUENT IN GREEK, VETERAN OF MORE THAN FOUR
YEARS AT ATHENS EMBASSY, AND AMONG MOST ACTIVE MEMBERS OF
LOCAL CONSULAR CORPS. AS EXAMPLE, SLAVCHEV MADE SPECIAL
CALL ON MINISTER FOR NORTHERN GREECE MARTIS TO PROMOTE USE
OF TWO BULGARIAN FILMS DURING LOCAL MAY 24-JUNE 1 ENVIRON-
MENTAL PROTECTION WEEK. SLAVCHEV ALSO ATTEMPTING TO
PURCHASE LOT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW 8-FLOOR SHOWCASE
CONSULATE BUILDING, PRESUMABLY TO INCLUDE RESIDENCES AND
NEW COMMERCIAL OFFICES.
11. EAST GERMANY: EAST GERMAN PRESENCE LED BY FIRST
LOCAL VISIT ON APRIL 28-29 OF AMBASSADOR KUBE (REF A),
WHO PROMISED VARIETY OF MUSICAL EVENTS HERE INCLUDING
EAST GERMAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DURING AUGUST 1975, AND
VARIOUS CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS. LATTER INCLUDE GDR FILM
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FESTIVAL, OPENED AT LOCAL THEATER MAY 12 BY CULTURAL
ATTACHE HAASE, AND PHOTO AND DESIGN EXHIBIT ON CONTEMPORARY
GDR THEATER AT UNIVERSITY POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL MAY 19-26.
FILMS SHOWN DURING FESTIVAL INCLUDED DOCUMENTARY ON CHILE,
LIFE OF ROSA LUXEMBOURG, AND "LIFE OF ANARACHIST".
12. YUGOSLAVIA: PRINCIPAL NEW YUGOSLAV INITIATIVE HERE
WAS MAY 2-6 VISIT TO THESSALONIKI BY COMMUNIST PARTY
SECRETARY GENERAL DONALTS (PHONETIC), WHO REPORTEDLY IS SECOND
RANKING GOY OFFICIAL AFTER TITO; PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT GLEGOROV
(PHONETIC) AND PM OF SKOPJE GOV POPOV (PHONETIC). VISIT,
WHICH INCLUDED CALLS OF MINISTER FOR NORTHERN GREECE
MARTIS AND OTHER LOCAL OFFICIALS, WAS DESCRIBED TO US
BY GREEK OFFICIALS AS "GOODWILL TOUR", BUT MAY HAVE
INCLUDED DISCUSSION OF SENSITIVE MACEDONIAN ISSUE. ON
COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE HAVE NOTED NO DIMINUTION OF YUGOSLAV
SHIPPING HERE FOLLOWING FEBRUARY 4 TERMINATION
OF AGREEMENT FOR EXCLUSIVE YUGOSLAV FREE PORT.
13. CZECHOSLOVAKIA: PRESENCE OF CZECHS, WHO HAVE
NO PERMANENT REPRESENTATION HERE, NOTED IN TWO COMMEERCIAL
DELEGATIONS. SPECIALIZED DELEGATION TO INVESTIGATE
ASBESTOS, CHROME AND OTHER ORES, VISITED EDESSA AREA IN
EARLY MARCH, AND AGREEMENT IS REPORTEDLY PENDING FOR CZECH
EXPLOITATION OF THESE MINERALS. MORE SUBSTANTIAL 10-MAN
DELEGATION HEADED BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT L.
CERNY VISITED THESSALONIKI MAY 15, BUT LOCAL OFFICIALS
REPORT THAT MISSION'S TIME HERE WAS TOO SHORT FOR SERIOUS
BUSINESS.
14. USSR: OVERT SOVIET PRESENCE HERE LIMITED TO RECENT
VISITS BY AMBASSADOR YESOV AND EMBASSY OFFICIALS. AS
REPORTED REF B, YESOV LAID WREATH MAY 15 AT LOCAL GRAVES
OF ALLEGED SOVIET WORLD WAR II DEAD, FOLLOWING SIMILAR
CEREMONY HERE BY FOUR EMBASSY OFFICERS MARCH 1 FOR RED
ARMY DAY. AS ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, SOVIET OFFICIALS
BEGAN MAY VISIT WITH EXTENDED CONSULTATION AT BULGARIAN
CONGEN. ACCORDING TO SOVIET COUNSELOR, USSR ALSO CON-
SIDERING ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSULATE GENERAL IN THESSA-
LINIKI AND COMMERCIALLY, SOVIET REPRESENTATIVE GOUROV MADE
EXTENDED VISIT DURING DECEMBER, OSTENSIBLY TO
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EXPLORE SOVIET PURCHASES OF LOCAL TOBACCO, FRUIT,
WINE AND FOOTWEAR, AS REPORTED EARLIER, SOVIET PROJECT
FOR ENERGY PLANT AT PHILIPPI HAS BEEN SCRAPPED, BUT
USSR LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED IN ALTERNATE PROPOSAL SUCH
AS PTOLEMAI'S LIGNITE EXPLOITATION. CONGEN HAS ALSO
NOTED, BUT DOES NOT HAVE CONCLUSIVE FIGURES ON,
EXPANDED SOVIET SHIPPING THROUGH LOCAL PORT.
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INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-03 H-02 INR-07 L-03
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--------------------- 058177
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FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9163
INFO ZEN/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
AMEMBASSY SOFIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 3 OF 3 ATHENS 4426
15. ROMANIA: WHILE ROMANIAN PRESENCE IN NORTH SO FAR
LIMITED TO SINGLE COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVE, REQUEST FOR
UPGRADING LOCAL TRADE MISSION TO CONSULATE GENERAL
STATUS IS PENDING. SENIOR GREEK SECURITY OFFICER
INFORMED US MAY 28 THAT ARRANGEMENT FOR CONGEN
HERE AND RECIPROCAL GREEK MISSION IN CONSTANTA WAS
PROBABLY INCLUDED IN ACCORD SIGNED PREVIOUS DAY
BY PM CARAMANLIS IN BUCHAREST. APRIL 15 GREEK-
ROMANIAN TRADE AGREEMENT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO RESULT
IN INCREASED ROMANIAN USE OF EXPANDED FREE ZONE HERE.
16. COMMENT: AS NOTED ABOVE, WE SEE THESE ACTIVITIES
AS PART OF PREDICTABLE COMMUNIST EFFORT TO ESTABLISH
PRESENCE ON NORTHERN GREEK SCENE FOLLOWING OVERTHROW
OF JUNTA. WHILE THIS REPRESENTS A QUANTUM JUMP IN
LEVEL OF COMMUNIST ACTIVITY, IT IS THUS FAR WELL SHORT OF
MASSIVE PENETRATION. NONETHELESS, IT ISCAUSE FOR
INCREASING CONCERN AMONG MANY CONSERVATE NORTHERNERS
WHO RECALL HISTORIC SLAV INTEREST IN AEGEAN OUTLET AND
RETAIN SHARP PERSONAL MEMORIES OF CIVIL WAR. WHILE WE
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BELIEVE LOCAL BLOC PRESENCE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE,
PARTICULARLY IN COMMERCIAL AREA, THERE SEEM TO BE
DEFINITE LIMITS TO DEGREE OF INFLUENCE WHICH THEY MAY
BE PERMITTED TO ATTAIN UNDER PRESENT CONDITIONS. IN
RECENT PRIVATE CONVERSATION. POLITICALS AFFAIRS ADVISER
TO MINISTER FOR NORTHERN GREECE CONFIDED THAT GOG AND
MINISTRY FULLY AWARE OF GROWING COMMUNIST PRESENCE IN
THIS AREA AND KEEPING CLOSE WATCH ON IT. ONE POSITIVE
INDICATION IS REPORT FROM RELIABLE SOURCE THAT LOCAL
POLICE HAVE ALREADY ACTED TO BLOCK BULGARIAN PURCHASE
OF PROPERTY FOR CONGEN BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN HARBOR
SECTOR OF CITY. ALTHOUGH THE NEW MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
WITH LEFTIST SYMPATHIES MIGHT OFFER THEIR GOOD OFFICES
TO OVERCOME THE POLICE OBJECTIONS, OUR IMPRESSION IS THAT THEY
WILL NOT, PREFERRING TO ACCEPT THE SECURITY CONSI-
DERATION AS THE OVERRIDING INTEREST. ALTHOUGH ONE
WOULD EXPECT THAT BLOC REPRESENTATIVES WOULD ATTEMPT
TO MANIPULATE TO POLITICAL ADVANTAGE CADRES REMAINING
FROM ACTIVE PRE-JUNTA COMMUNIST ORGANIZATIONS IN
THESSALONIKI AND "RED KAVALLA", INSOFAR AS WE AWARE,
THEY HAVE THUS FAR REFRAINED FROM INFERENCE OF
INTERVENTION WITH COMMUNIST AND OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES
IN THIS AREA. HOWEVER, GREEK OFFICIALS AND OTHERS HAVE
REPORTED TO US THAT IN PRIVATE CONGEN SLAVCHEV AND
OTHERS SCATHINGLY CRITICIZE U.S. IN OBVIOUS EFFORT TO
UNDERMINE AMERICAN PRESENCE HERE.
KUBISCH
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