Greek P.M. Resigns Over King’s Stand

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30156, 13 June 1963, Page 13

Greek P.M. Resigns Over King’s Stand

(N Z.P.A .-Reuter— Copyright)

ATHENS, June 12.

Moves to form a new Greek Government are expected to begin today after yesterday’s dramatic resignation by the Prime Minister, Mr Constantine Karamanlis.

He resigned in a dispute with King Paul over the King’s determination to carry out a State visit to Britain with Queen Frederika next month. King Paul, in a proclamation last night, reaffirmed that the Royal couple should visit London on July 9.

The King said he would await the recommendation of the new Government on this question He has accepted British assurances that no

incidents will be tolerated during the visit. Mr Karamanlis believes the visit should be cancelled, or at * least postponed, because of demonstrations in which Queen Frederika was involved during her visit to Britain for the wedding of Princess Alexandra. Mr Karamanlis’s view is backed unanimously by his Cabinet. In a statement last night he said the Government was eager to see the rekindling of traditional, friendly Greek-British relations, but the visit would offer international communism and its followers a unique opportunity to carry out new insulting acts against the country Mr Karamanlis’s ruling Radical Union has 180 seats in the 300-seat Parliament. The Union of the Centre opposition has 78 seats.

King Paul, who is expected to receive Opposition and other political leaders today to hear their opinions on the political crisis, has deferred consultations until this evening, a Court spokesman said. Press reports said today the King was seeking the formation of a “transitional” government.

The newspaper. “To Vima,” said King Paul had disclosed during his talks with Mr Karamanlis that he had received a persona] letter from Queen Elizabeth on the state visit. In London a spokesman at Buckingham Palace, when asked about the report, had no comment Both the Government and the Greek Royal Palace today denied a report in the newspaper, “Vradinin,” that Crown Prince Constantine might fly to London with a personal message from his father. King Paul.

Mr Karamanlis, who is 56. has been Prime Minister since October. 1955, a record period of office in modern Greece He became a member of Parliament at the age of 28. in 1935.