§ 3.30 p.m.
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)With permission, Mr. Speaker, I will make a statement on Cyprus.
The Government have been engaged for several months on a review of the Cyprus problem, and are grateful to the House for its forbearance during this time. The Government have recently been in close consultation with the Governor of Cyprus and with Her Majesty's Ambassadors in Athens and Ankara, who returned to London for that purpose.
Consideration of the course of action which the Government propose to recommend to Parliament is almost complete. The House will, however, understand that an announcement cannot be made before the Government have carried out certain diplomatic procedures. These are required both by our friendly relations with our Allies and also in order to provide the best hope of a successful outcome.
As the House knows, the new Greek Government have only just been sworn in after the elections, which followed the resignation of the former Greek Government on 2nd March and of which the results were declared only a week ago. This has meant some unavoidable delay, and the Government must, therefore, ask the House to be patient for a little longer.
In order to give proper time to complete the diplomatic discussions with the interested Governments, as well as other necessary consultations, it seems that the best course would be to postpone a full statement until after the Whitsun Recess. The Government therefore intend to announce their policy in the House as soon as possible after the Whitsun Recess, and in any case not later than Tuesday, 17th June.
§ Mr. CallaghanIt has always been the desire of the Opposition that the Government should have the fullest opportunity of solving this problem. May I ask the Colonial Secretary whether he is not aware that our growing embarrassment over the last few months has been due to the fact that we felt the initiative about which we were told last 892 December had petered out and that nothing further was taking its place?
If, in fact, consultations are now going on, as I gather they are, that ambassadors have returned and will shortly be communicating with the Governments to which they are accredited, and if it is the case that the other consultations to which the Colonial Secretary has referred mean also consultations with the Governments with whom Greece and Turkey have relations, then we on our part would not be disposed to press the Colonial Secretary to make a statement, in view of the undertaking he has given us that he will do so by 17th June.
In those circumstances, Mr. Speaker, although we are anxious to avoid a policy of drift—we want decision—we want to give the Government a fair opportunity and my right hon. Friends and I will take the responsibility of recommending to our colleagues that we should not have a debate on this matter before Whitsun.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI think that the general feeling of the House would be in sympathy with what the hon. Gentleman has said, and I am very grateful to him for saying it. I can give him an assurance that it is our intention to complete the necessary diplomatic discussions with the interested Governments as well as other necessary consultations. I repeat that I am very much obliged for the hon. Gentleman's understanding in this matter.
§ Mr. Clement DaviesMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman two questions? In passing, may I say that I quite agree about postponement for the time being. As I understand, there are to be some further consultations with the Greek Government and the Turkish Government, but the people most involved are the people of Cyprus. Is the right hon. Gentleman, therefore, in consultation with anybody from the island of Cyprus? Is it intended to get into communication with Archbishop Makarios?
Secondly, do I understand that in spite of the consultations with the Greek and Turkish Governments, the responsibility for what is taking place and for what must take place is that of Her Majesty's Government, and Her Majesty's Government alone?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThough Her Majesty's Government would prefer to leave the timing and the method of doing this to the Governor, we think that leaders of both communities in the island should be given some advance information.
I agree with the right hon. and learned Gentleman that it is for Her Majesty's Government to state their intentions in this matter.
§ Mr. BrockwayWhile welcoming what the right hon. Gentleman has said about some consultations with representatives from Cyprus, may I ask him whether, simultaneously with the approaches to the Governments of Greece and Turkey, he will accept the suggestion of discussion with representatives of the people of Cyprus, including the Turkish minority?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI have already answered a question on that point, in which I said that I would prefer to leave the timing and method of sounding leaders of local opinion to the Governor.