GREEK PRIME MINISTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25737, 8 January 1945, Page 3

GREEK PRIME MINISTER

NON-CONCILIATORY ATTITUDE LONDON. Jan. 5.

There is nothing conciliatory about the attitude of General Plastiras, says the Athens correspondent of The Times, reporting an interview with the Prime Minister. General Plastiras reiterated his statement after his arrival in Greece that the situation could be righted only by force, arid, denied blankly any possibility of a negotiated truce. He was not keeping any portfolios from the Leftists, but he did not intend to bring into toe Cabinet an additional Minister of any kind. General Plastiras expressed the opinion that the bulk of the Greeks were participating in the struggle only because they were forced to do so by terrorism, and he thought that when his forces advanced into the country districts they, would desert the E.L.A.S. and join toe. Government troops. The Times correspondent adds that there are no move.' to end hostilities. The E.L.A.S. is still regarded as “the enemy,” and. although militarily this is understandable, it had been expected that the new Government would adopt a different attitude. The Times adds that the E.L.A.S. is certainly not helping the situation, and stories of atrocities continue to circulate. “It is said that the Greeks are not a people to bear malice, but there is surely such a wealth of bitterness and hatred being stored up as will take years to wash away.” ‘