§ 45. Mr. Teelingasked the Prime Minister when the talks on Cyprus will commence; what alteration has been made to the date in recent weeks; and whether he will give an assurance that they will not commence until the Colonial Secretary, who has recently visited Cyprus, has returned to this country from the Far East.
§ The Prime Minister (Sir Anthony Eden)The Greek and Turkish Governments have accepted the invitation of Her Majesty's Government to send representatives to London for a conference beginning on 29th August on political and defence questions which affect the Eastern Mediterranean, including Cyprus. There has been no alteration in this date.
With regard to the last part of the Question, the Colonial Secretary will return from the Far East very shortly after the opening of the conference and will then take part in its proceedings.
§ Mr. TeelingIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Greek Government have given as the reason for bringing the case of Cyprus to the United Nations that there was a change of date, and if there has been no change of date for the London conference, does he realise that the many friends of Greece on this side of the House will feel very disappointed that, after what we consider our Prime Minister's very generous gesture in calling together this conference, the Greeks should now seem to be giving way to blackmail by taking the case to Lake Success and at the same time seeming to blackmail us?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not know that I should help matters very much by commenting further, though I understand my hon. Friend's feelings. I think that as everybody is coming on 29th August, and as they have all agreed on the conditions under which they are coming, we should perhaps leave it at that and hope for the best.