§ 3.45 p.m.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF PERTH)My Lords, I beg leave to make a statement on Cyprus similar to that which my right honourable friend the Colonial Secretary is making in another place now.
On March 20 I informed your Lordships that Her Majesty's Govern-accepted the offer of the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to use his good offices for reconciliation on the Cyprus question. At the same time I said that, if Archbishop Makarios would make a clear public statement calling for the cessation of violence by E.O.K.A., a new situation would have been created and Her Majesty's Government would be ready to bring to an end his detention in Seychelles.
The Archbishop has now made a statement, copies of which will be available in the Printed Paper Office when I sit down. While Her Majesty's Government cannot regard this statement as the clear appeal for which they asked, nevertheless they consider that in present circumstances it is no longer necessary to 876 continue the Archbishop's detention. My right honourable friend has accordingly instructed the Governor of Seychelles, with the full agreement of Sir John Harding, to cancel the order for the detention of the Archbishop and his three compatriots and to arrange passages from Seychelles by the first available vessel. I must repeat that there can be no question at this stage of their return to Cyprus.
In order to promote a rapid return to normal, peaceful conditions in Cyprus, the Governor is prepared to offer immediately a safe conduct out of Cyprus to the leader of E.O.K.A., Grivas. If he decides to avail himself of this offer, the Government of Cyprus will make the necessary arrangements with any member of the Consular Corps in Cyprus who agrees to act for him. This offer of safe conduct is open also to any other foreign nationals who are members of E.O.K.A. and are at large in Cyprus. It will be extended to any British subjects who are members of the organisation and still at large, provided they give an undertaking not to enter any British territory for so long as the legal State of Emergency continues to exist in Cyprus.
I should add that Her Majesty's Government cannot accept the Greek Government's interpretation of the United Nations resolution which the Archbishop has adopted in his statement. There is nothing inconsistent between the terms of that resolution and conciliation by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Finally, I must make it clear that there can be no question of an immediate abolition of the State of Emergency in Cyprus. As and when the Governor of Cyprus considers that it is safe for relaxations of the Emergency Regulations to be made, they will be made, and your Lordships will, of course, be informed.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for making the statement to the House which has been made by the Secretary of State in another place. Obviously we shall need to study the paper now made available at the Printed Paper Office before we can make any really considerable contribution on this question. However, I must say that we 877 welcome very much the fact that the Government have now decided to cancel the detention of Archbishop Makarios. I note that it is repeated that he is not to be permitted in present circumstances to return to Cyprus, and one wonders to where he is being given safe passage. Apparently that is all the information yet available to us, though I understood from what the noble Earl said that the Government are making arrangements for the Archbishop's passage. If the information is in the possession of the Government, it might be useful for the House to know where he is going.
That leads one to comment almost at once that the one thing missing in the statement so far is any indication of what the next step in Government policy is going to be. We are all anxious to bring to an end the frightful reign of terror which has been going on in Cyprus and to bring peace to that troubled island. Her Majesty's Government have now, according to the statement, made extraordinary arrangements with regard to a safe conduct for the E.O.K.A. leader and others. But what is the next step? Are we to understand that the Government have not yet made up their mind on the terms of the Archbishop's statement as to whether he is now a fit and proper person with whom to negotiate? That is what we have been pressing for for a long time, in view of his general relationship with the island, its people and its problems. It would be helpful if the noble Earl could tell us what is the next step.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, may I supplement by another question what my noble friend and leader has said? I would ask Her Majesty's Government, as they are prepared, in accordance with the United Nations resolution, to discuss the future of Cyprus under the auspices of N.A.T.O. with the Greek and Turkish Governments, whether they are not prepared to do so with the representatives of the people of Cyprus, including Archbishop Makarios. I would also ask this question: do Her Majesty's Government take the view that, if they persist in refusing to start discussions for a political settlement, strike and bloodshed in Cyprus will not continue?
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, first of all I would answer to the noble 878 Viscount, Lord Alexander of Hillsborough, that Archbishop Makarios is free to go anywhere he likes. In fact, there is a ship sailing from the Seychelles on, I think, April 15, and if he chooses to take that he will get to a point and from there he is free to go where he chooses.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHExcept Cyprus.
§ THE EARL OF PERTHExcept Cyprus. The next question the noble Viscount asked was: What are the next steps?—and I understand that as being partly in connection with the relaxation of Emergency Regulations and so forth. I would say there that advantage has been taken of the presence of the Governor in London to discuss with him the form of such relaxations, and he will, as soon as he gets back to Cyprus, review the position. As your Lordships know, he has been away for about ten days, and he first wants to see things for himself on the spot. The last question asked by the noble Viscount was whether we were prepared to negotiate with Archbishop Makarios. The answer is that we have frequently said that the Radcliffe Constitution can be discussed, and so can other internal matters, with any representative body of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. It is really for the Greek and Turkish Cypriots to choose their own representatives when the time may come. I do not doubt that Archbishop Makarios will be one of the representatives for the Greek Cypriots, but clearly any representation, if we are to get down to worthwhile discussions, must be broadly based. In giving that answer, I hope I have answered also the question asked by the noble Earl. Lord Listowel.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I am obliged to the noble Earl. What he has said is most important. Does it imply that Her Majesty's Government are now willing to discuss the future of Cyprus, including the proposals of the noble Lord, Lord Radcliffe, with Archbishop Makarios, if he is included among the representatives of the Cypriot people? Is that a correct interpretation?
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, the answer to that is, yes, at the right time. I would add that Her Majesty's Government are most anxious to press on with 879 further discussions on the international status of the island. It is, in their view, most important that the two things should go on, if not together at any rate so that it cannot be said that you can do one without the other. For that reason, we are most anxious that the consultations in N.A.T.O. should be resumed.
§ LORD SILKINMy Lords, could the noble Earl explain why it is that, having trusted Archbishop Makarios to the extent of releasing him to go anywhere in the world, he is not allowed to go to Cyprus, where his presence would be of the greatest value at the present time?
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, my answer to the noble Lord must be that it is a presumption that his presence would be of the greatest value if he went to Cyprus. I think it might have very much the opposite effect.
§ EARL ATTLEEMy Lords, are not Her Majesty's Government rather leaving the whole thing in the air? They release Archbishop Makarios from Seychelles and release the people of E.O.K.A. just like that, with no apparent arrangements for discussions or anything.
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, I think it is premature to make arrangements for such discussions. We do not yet know who are to be the representatives who might be chosen by any body; we do not yet know what will happen in the N.A.T.O. talks. While we may have great hopes as to those talks, to try at this moment to answer a hypothetical question about who may be chosen, or what may be done, is premature.