§ 2.35 p.m.
§ EARL WINTERTONMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government if they will publish as a Command Paper the replies received by the British Ambassador in Athens to the protest which he made on behalf of Her Majesty's Government against the broadcasts from Athens Radio, articles in the Greek Press and statements by leading Greek citizens inciting the terrorists in Cyprus.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READNG)My Lords, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Athens has made more than twenty representations primarily directed against official commentaries by Athens Radio, which is under the direct control of the Greek Government. In the great majority of cases, even when our representations were in writing, the Greek Government have confined themselves to oral replies. I do not think that in those circumstances there would be any useful purpose in publishing these answers at present. But I will bear in mind the noble Earl's suggestion, and I certainly do not exclude the possibility of publishing at the appropriate time documents relating to support from Greece for terrorism in Cyprus. The noble Earl will have observed that Her Majesty's Government have tabled an item in such terms at the United Nations.
§ EARL WINTERTONMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for his reply, which, of course completely meets my case. Without trespassing upon your Lordships' time, may I ask him whether he realises that 906 the object of my Question was to underline what I believe Her Majesty's Secretary of State described in another place as the shameful conduct, not only of Athens Radio and the Athens Press but of the Government of Greece and of the Hierarchy in supporting terrorism in Cyprus—