§ 36. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now make a statement on the negotiations in Cyprus regarding military bases and other matters and on the date for the inauguration of the independence of Cyprus.
§ 40. Mr. Donnellyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress of the Cyprus negotiations.
§ 41. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now make a statement on the progress of the negotiations in Cyprus; and if he will summarise in HANSARD, or in a paper to be placed in the Library of the House, the arguments put forward for retaining sovereignty, for the purposes of defence, over larger areas than the Cypriot spokesmen were prepared to surrender.
§ 60. Viscount Hinchingbrookeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the course of negotiations in Cyprus.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. D. Ormsby Gore)The negotiations are still in progress between my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Cypriot leaders.
There has been a steady narrowing of differences. We regret the slowness of the progress, but Her Majesty's Government are still hopeful of final agreement within the framework of the Zurich and London Agreements of last year.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the negotiations have now been going on for over four months? Is it not the case that the difficulty has mostly been over the extent of the British bases, and would he not agree that the first right of self-determination by any people is the extent of bases upon their territories?
§ Mr. Ormsby GoreThe actual issue of sovereignty over the bases is not in dispute and never has been in dispute from the start of the negotiations. On the issue of the area of the bases the difference now is very small indeed.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeDoes my right hon. Friend recall that on 1st and 9th February the Foreign Secretary said that the British position on the extent of the area, eleven miles by eleven miles, was reasonable and indeed the minimum? Are we to understand that that minimum has been further whittled down in recent weeks and that the newspapers are correct in reporting an area of 100 square miles as now being under discussion? In general is the Foreign Office giving my hon. Friend the Joint Undersecretary of State for the Colonies full support in his negotiations with this very Byzantine archbishop?
§ Mr. Ormsby GoreI can assure my noble Friend that we are in very close contact with my hon. Friend in Cyprus every single day in this matter. With regard to the particular details of the negotiations, I do not think that at this final and very delicate stage I can add anything to what I have already said today.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that one of the justifications given for having bases in Cyprus is that they are to be used for the purpose of bombing the industrial areas of Southern Russia? In view of the obvious danger to the pilots, can he assure us that no reconnaissance planes are flying from the Cyprus bases?
§ Mr. Ormsby GoreThat goes quite a bit wider than the Question.
§ Mr. W. YatesIt was announced in Nicosia on Saturday that there had been a breakdown in negotiations and a deadlock, and indeed a ten-day adjournment. How are we to reconcile that with the statement of the Minister of State?
§ Mr. Ormsby GoreNo adjournment has been announced, but it is quite normal in the course of negotiations that at certain periods there are no meetings between the two principals involved. [Laughter.] Hon. Members who laugh must know perfectly well that that happens at certain stages of negotiations. Many consultations are required outside the actual negotiations, and these have resulted in certain periods when the two principals have not met.
§ Mr. HealeyCan the Minister of State confirm or deny the report which appeared in the British Press over the weekend that the only issue now at stake and under discussion is the very theological question whether the definition of the conditions under which the bases might ultimately be disposed of by Britain should be included in the Treaty itself or in an annexe? Does not that suggest that Byzantinism is by no means the monopoly of Archbishop Makarios?
§ Mr. Ormsby GoreI said that the differences between the two sides now seemed to me to be very narrow. I said also that I was not prepared to be drawn into the details of the final stages of these negotiations.
§ Mr. ShinwellI have no desire to abandon British interests anywhere, even in Cyprus. Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to explain in simple language so that we can understand it why a few square miles will make all the difference to the strategic and military value of the island? Is he aware that when I had the honour of being in charge of a Service Department I never heard one admiral, general or air marshal claim that the island was of any strategic value? Why should a few square miles stand in the way of these negotiations?
§ Mr. Ormsby GoreI have said previously that as regards the area of the bases the differences between us now are very small indeed.
§ Mr. W. YatesOn a point of order As the parties in Cyprus were very close three weeks ago, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.