HC Deb 17 July 1956 vol 556 cc1041-3
64. Mr. Donnelly

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will arrange for Lord Radcliffe to visit the Seychelle Islands in order to consult with Archbishop Makarios on a future constitution for Cyprus.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 12th July clearly stated the arrangements made for Lord Radcliffe to start his work as Constitutional Commissioner; I have nothing to add to that.

Mr. Donnelly

Is it not a fact that the news at the weekend has shown that what my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition said was absolutely right when he asked with whom Lord Radcliffe was to consult when he got to Cyprus? Is it not a fact that the Prime Minister's terms of reference keeping Lord Radcliffe on Cyprus only place an impossible burden on Lord Radcliffe, because he has no chance of getting in touch with the Cypriot people until he sees Archbishop Makarios?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

All these matters can be dealt with in the debate on Thursday, but certain statements made in this country over the weekend scarcely facilitate a settlement.

Mr. J. Griffiths

If after his return from Cyprus Lord Radcliffe desires to see Archbishop Makarios, would arrangements be made for him to do so?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I think the important thing is to create conditions under which, while Lord Radcliffe is in Cyprus, useful work can be done.

Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

Will Her Majesty's Government have as little as possible to do with this turbulent priest?

Mr. Bevan

Is it not rather foolish to remove from Cyprus a representative person like Archbishop Makarios and then to plead the fact that he is not there as a reason for not seeing him?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The right hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well that this matter of the deportation of the Archbishop was exhaustively examined in the House some time ago. The basic reason for his deportation was the refusal of the Archbishop, whose single word could have helped to bring about the cessation of murder, to utter that single word.

Mr. Bevan

Is it not one of the purposes of the appointment of Lord Radcliffe to see representative people in order to try to find out what are the views of the people of Cyprus? Despite what the right hon. Gentleman said about Archbishop Makarios, is it not a fact that he is a very representative person?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

There is certainly every reason to believe that it is largely because of the threats of violence against those who do not altogether share the views of the Archbishop that difficulties have arisen in the past in the conversations.

Mr. Bevan

Why does not the right hon. Gentleman answer the question? We are to assume that one of the reasons that Lord Radcliffe has been appointed is in order to try to find out what sort of constitution would commend itself to the people of Cyprus, otherwise his appointment is meaningless. Is it not therefore rather foolish to deny him access to a person who, whatever our point of view may be, is obviously a man representing large bodies of opinion in Cyprus?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Had the Archbishop done anything whatever in regard to calling off violence, then a very different situation would have arisen.

Replying to the last part of the right hon. Gentleman's question, I will refer him to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 12th July, to which I have nothing to add, but which can most certainly be examined in the debate on Thursday.