HC Deb 27 November 1958 vol 596 cc540-2
27. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been drawn to the offer of a substantial reward, made by the Mayor of Nicosia, to any citizen contributing to the capture of Mrs. Cutliffe's murderer, and to his appeal to any Greek Cypriot with information about the murder to come forward; and what response has been made by the Government to this offer of assistance.

Mr. Profumo

A report appeared in the Cyprus Press stating that the Mayor of Nicosia had offered to raise a fund to reward any citizen who came forward with information about the murderer. The Mayor did not consult the Government or inform them of his offer, which was coupled with a vehement rejection of the idea that E.O.K.A. was responsible for the murder and a suggestion that it was deliberately staged by hostile interests to throw blame on the Greeks.

Mr. Swingler

Is not the Under-Secretary of State aware that when I asked him last week what offers of assistance in the discovery of the murderer of Mrs. Cutliffe had been made by Greek Cypriot authorities, he replied, "None"? Is not it clear that that answer was untrue? Cannot the Colonial Office read the Cyprus Times, in which the Mayor of Nicosia offered to raise a reward of £5,000 and appealed publicly to any Cypriot who knew anything about the murderer to come forward? Should not the Government have responded to this offer of assistance from a leading Greek Cypriot? Is not the hon. Member aware that the criticism made by Dr. Dervis was that when the Government had been given a description saying that it was a fair-haired youth, they indiscriminately rounded up all the dark-haired youths? That is what is said. The fact is that the Mayor made an offer of assistance.

Mr. Profumo

I am sorry, but I do not see any reason to change the answer which I gave on the last occasion. Perhaps I could explain. I must give responsible answers and I do not regard something which appears in a newspaper as always being a real offer. I think I should add that on the night of the murder Athens Radio proclaimed it as the work of E.O.K.A. patriots, and I have no reason to suppose that the claim was ill founded. Two weapons were used and, from the markings on a cartridge case found on the scene, were identified as those of a weapon used in other E.O.K.A. crimes in the Famagusta district. At the inquest the verdict was, "Murder by persons unknown".

Mr. P. Williams

Would not it be better if the Mayor of Nicosia and other mayors in Cyprus helped in preventing murders rather than offered to help afterwards?

Mr. Ellis Smith

And King Paul.

Mr. Shinwell

There has been an implication in certain quarters—not in the House but elsewhere—that this dastardly crime should be laid at the feet of the Cyprus Government and our forces. Is there any evidence to that effect? If not, will the implication be sternly and emphatically repudiated?

Mr. Profumo

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for one of his usual very wise supplementary questions There is no evidence at all—absolutely no evidence. I hope that when the right hon. Member reads tomorrow the answer which I gave to his hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) he will regard it as a categorical denial in the strongest terms of which I am capable.

Mr. Swingler

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment in order to get the facts clear.