§ 15. Mr. Donnellyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement on Cyprus.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThere is as yet not much to add to what was said in the debate on 9th February. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies left Cyprus on 10th February after delaying his departure for a few hours at the request of Archbishop Makarios. Since then the Governor has continued conversations with the Cypriot leaders with a view to clarifying certain questions that arose on the various subjects under discussion. I believe that some progress has been made. We are waiting for the Governor to complete his report. Meanwhile the position of Her Majesty's Government remains as it was stated in last week's debate; we are working for a settlement within the terms of the Zurich and London Agreements.
§ Mr. DonnellyIn view of the fact that it is now public, the accusation which Archbishop Makarios has made against the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, can the Secretary of State say precisely what the Under-Secretary of State did agree to?
§ Mr. LloydI do not know that the word "accusation" is quite the right word to use, but I have certainly read the reports. They are at variance with my understanding, and that of my hon. Friends and others, of what took place at this meeting, but really I do not think it is wise to go into that matter today.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonMy right hon. and learned Friend says that the position of the Government remains as it was stated. Will he bear in mind that very many people in this country are anxious that that position should continue to remain as it was stated?
§ Mr. HealeyIs the Foreign Secretary aware that his hon. Friend's view is not shared by everybody in this House, and that there will be a widespread feeling that the precedent set by the Foreign Secretary himself in revealing an ex parte account of what happened in private negotiations is not a desirable one to be followed?