I am prompted to write to you following the recent visit of Air Commodore Millard and Wing Commander Fincham of the R.C.A.F., with whom I discussed various aspects of the Canadian Mutual Aid Programme for Greece, and upon further consideration of the present Mutual Aid machinery. There is no doubt that the present machinery, insofar as Canadian aid is concerned (as described so fully in your memorandum attached to your despatch No. D-31 of February 1, 1954)? is cumbersome and slow to the extreme. Even more important, it certainly does not allow Canada to obtain the maximum credit due to our country for its very substantial contributions to our fellow members of NATO. Because Standing Group's approval is always required, and because bids are submitted by recipient countries to Standing Group in the first instance, it makes it very difficult to preserve the purely Canadian nature of our various contributions. Even though it is true that the Canadian Government in the end must first approve Standing Group's recommendations, undoubtedly the S.G. calls the tune and, in effect, directs the Canadian tax-payer's dollars to particular NATO countries. From the standpoint of the Canadian mission in Greece, for example, this means that very often Canadian Mutual Aid is confused with American Military Aid, in some form or other, and full credit is not given to us. (Such confusion is very likely to become even more evident when, as I was horrified to learn, a newly-affiliated NATO staff officer (American) serving as a liaison officer on the Greek General Staff, expressed his complete ignorance about Canada's Mutual Aid Programme to Greece.) I think it was, therefore, a very good thing that the R.C.A.F. sent its own officers to Greece to discuss Canada's F-86 jet programme direct with the Greek Air Force. I believe that Air Commodore Millard has suggested that an R.C.A.F. officer be attached to our Embassy for the purpose of dealing with the many details connected with our jet programme for this country. This, too, is, I believe, an excellent idea and should be implemented. Nevertheless, I think that Canada will not obtain the full credit due to her unless some new NATO machinery can be developed to enable the needs of NATO countries, such as Greece, to be submitted direct to the Canadian Government when Canadian equipment is required. We could determine their availability and then initially assess for ourselves the desirability of filling the request. NATO Standing Group advice would, of course, be sought, especially on a large transfer, such as that of our F-86's. It is on smaller requests, such as aircraft spares, that the slow and awkward machinery becomes so manifest. I was told, for example, that if Canada knew that a certain type of piston were required by Greece, this could have been included on Canada's availability list and usefully disposed of.

2. I am not sufficiently acquainted with the technical details to make intelligent recommendations at this time for improving the system. However, I do believe that it would be most worthwhile for the Head of our NATO Division to have a lengthy discussion with Air Commodore Millard who, I feel sure, will be pleased to outline the difficulties which he has from the matériel point of view. From the point of view of proper publicity and credit for Canada's very substantial Mutual Aid contribution to her NATO allies, and to ensure that the Americans do not always call the tune in countries such as Greece (which they are wont to do following the very substantial American aid of various sorts given to Greece in the past several years), I think that active consideration should be given to ways and means of changing the machinery so as to make it more direct. This would not only result in countries such as Greece realizing that Canadian Mutual Aid is quite separate and distinct from American, but it would, I am told, greatly reduce the long timelag under the present system between the first step and the last step, i.e., the actual delivery of the equipment. Furthermore, it would enable us to know what was required before drawing up our availability lists, and it would establish a closer direct working relationship between the Greek and Canadian armed forces.

3. I might perhaps illustrate the type of irritation with which I am constantly confronted by citing two recent examples, both having to do with American (i.e., Standing Group ?) influence. When this has to do with the Canadian Government's Mutual Aid Programme, I think it is time that we sat up and took notice. In a recent conversation which we had with a First Secretary in the American Embassy, we mentioned that we might, at some stage, have a Canadian Air Force officer attached to the Embassy to deal with our jet programme. (He, or course, already knew - well before we did - that Canadian jets would be given to Greece - a further irritant!) His first reaction was that this was a natural thing for us to do "to protect our tax-payers' money". But then he said, "I hope that he won't make any suggestions (to the Greeks) which are contrary to the `advice' which we are giving them." A more important example is concerned with the question of Canada training Greek pilots or other aircrew members under the other phase of our Mutual Aid Programme. At a small informal dinner given by the Greek Air Force for Millard and Fincham, I casually asked Air Vice Marshal Doukas, the youthful Deputy Chief of the Greek General Staff, whether the Greeks had contemplated requesting air crew training for Greek airmen in Canada. He said they would like to very much but that the Americans (sic) had said "No!" I gathered that the Americans had told the Greek Air Force that if they sent aircrew for training in Canada they would not receive all the American military aid promised them. As it was not convenient to seek further details at that time, I did not pursue the subject. However, I think it is worthwhile mentioning it to you at this time, particularly as I heard something else about American opposition to Canadian aid for Greece a few days ago. Mr. Eli Dimitracopoulos, an energetic though sometimes not too reliable Greek journalist for the Athens newspaper Kathimerini, recently returned to Athens after a visit of several weeks to the United States (and Montreal). While in Washington, he told me that he had several talks with our Admiral deWolfe (Chairman, Canadian Joint Staff), of whom he spoke in glowing terms. Dimitracopoulos mentioned that the Americans had been opposed to Canada supplying jet aircraft to Greece and to the training of Greek aircrew in Canada, but that some, at least, of the difficulties had been finally overcome through, I gathered, Canadian efforts in Washington. As Dimitracopoulos is a reporter, I did not press him for details, but I could easily do so. I could also, if you wish, call on Air Vice Marshal Doukas and obtain further information from him because he is a close neighbour of mine. However, before doing so, I wanted to consult the Department to find out how interested we are in taking some initiative in this matter. Up to then, I had thought that Greece just wasn't interested in training its aircrew in Canada. I naturally wonder what this so-called American "opposition" is all about.

4. In summary, therefore, I would suggest

(1) that the Head of our NATO Division have a talk with Air Commodore Millard about his matériel problems under the present NATO Mutual Aid set-up;

(2) that, after that talk, (not only to assist Millard's work but, more important, to promote the realization of the true nature of Canadian Mutual Aid and to give Canada more direct initial say in the allocation of its equipment and more direct contract with Greek (in my case) military officials, without American "interference"), active consideration be given to trying to have the machinery streamlined and altered to some extent; and

(3) that we find out why the Americans are opposed to Canada training Greek aircrew and, if the reasons are not sufficiently valid from Canada's point of view, that we pursue the matter further with the Greek authorities. As you know, Greece is one of the very few NATO countries which does not participate in Canada's NATO air training programme.

5. While on the subject of Canada's Mutual Aid Programme for Greece, I should like to raise the question of publicity for our contribution of F-86 jet aircraft to Greece. You will recall that as long ago as last March (our letter No. 158 of March 29th),? we suggested that simultaneous press releases be made in Ottawa and Athens. Not having heard from you about such a press release, and having taken up, on your instructions, the question of having a public ceremony to mark the arrival of the first Canadian jets in this country, we assumed that you had decided not to publicize this contribution until the proposed public ceremony took place. On their part, the Greek authorities have conscientiously avoided up to now making any public reference to the gift of Canadian aircraft. However, today's Greek newspapers carry an announcement, apparently originating in the Department of National Defence, Ottawa, that Canada is giving 27 F-86 aircraft to Greece and to Turkey. Probably the visit of the Chief of the Turkish Air Staff influenced this decision to make the matter public at this time, but nevertheless, from our point of view, you will appreciate that it would have been infinitely better for a release to have been made simultaneously in both capitals. Incidentally, I should appreciate knowing as soon as possible when the first aircraft will be delivered to Greece and consequently when the Public Ceremony is to take place. I should also appreciate confirmation that it is your intention that the ceremony take place here in Athens. Air Commodore Millard seemed to be under the impression that our plan was to have the ceremony in the United Kingdom. Needless to say, such a locale would be most undesirable as there is already enough confusion in the Greek public mind about Canada, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. In any event, the U.K.'s standing in Greece at the present time is beclouded by the Cyprus issue. I might also mention that Millard told me (and, subsequently, an officer of the Greek General Air Staff confirmed this to me) that the Greek Government is making arrangements with the American Air Force to fly our aircraft to Greece from the United Kingdom. This is an understandable economy move on Greece's part as we do not pay the transportation bill. However, from the point of view of retaining, for publicity purposes, the purely Canadian nature of this contribution, I wonder whether it might not be possible for at least the first of these aircraft (the one or ones to be used for the public ceremony) to be flown to Greece by the R.C.A.F. I think that you will agree that such an arrangement would be much more desirable. I shudder to think what confusion would be created if the photographers snapped pictures of an American aircrew stepping out of our first Canadian jet to reach this country.

6. This letter is far too long but I thought that it might be worthwhile for me to set down all of my rambling thoughts in the one spot. You might consider that some at least of them are worthy of serious consideration.

G.K. GRANDE