Former Greek P.M.s Held

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31656, 17 April 1968, Page 11

Former Greek P.M.s Held

(N.Z P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

PARIS April 16.

The house arrest of two former Greek Prime Ministers by the military government represented “the last spasm of a dying beast,” a former Greek minister said todav.

Mr Andreas Papandreou was commenting in Paris on news from Athens that his father, Mr George Papandreou, and Mr Panayotis Kanellopoulos had been placed under house arrest for the second time since the military junta seized power last April. Mr Andreas Papandreou—who went into exile in January after being detained by the junta until last December —said the Government’s action was proof of its ruthlessness and insecurity. He was speaking as leader of the recently-formed PanHellenic Liberation Movement, which aims to coordinate the resistance of Greek exiles to the present Government. Security forces took up positions outside the home of Mr Papandreou, sen., and Mr Kanellopoulos last night, apparently in an attempt to prevent them demonstrating or making statements on the anniversary of the April 21 coup. Both Mr George Papandreou and Mr Kanellopoulos were freed under a Christmas amnesty. Mr Papandreou, aged 80, was Prime Minister until July, 1965. His downfall, after differences with King Constantine, started a series of political crises in Greece.

Police have been placed outside the villa where he is living in Castri, 15 miles north of Hoye. Visitors have been barred from entering even the garden. Mr Kanellopoulos, who Is

65, was Prime Minister when the Army took over last April 21. Police last night guarded the front door of his Athens flat and barred visitors. In statements last month, both politicians called on the Greek people to oppose the Government's plan to draft a new Constitution. The combined forces of Mr Papandreou’s Centre Party and the Radical Union Party, under Mr Kanellopoulos. represented over 80 per cent of the electorate in the last General Election in 1964.