§ 3.31 p.m.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, may I intervene to answer a Question put by the noble Earl the Leader of the Opposition? His Question was as follows: "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement as to the action taken against and threats offered to British troops on duty in Nicosia and Ktima."
During the fighting between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots at Ktima on March 9, the Greek Cypriot police and irregulars obstructed British troops who were seeking to enter the town. Since he did not think it right to fire on the Greek police the Commander decided that he had no option but to abandon his attempt to stop the fighting.
On March 10 in. Nicosia, a Turkish Cypriot convoy proceeding to Famagusta to collect Red Crescent supplies with a British military escort, was stopped by 12 Greek Cypriot police and about 50 armed irregulars. The Turkish Cypriot drivers were forced to stand in the road with their hands up while the convoy was searched. Again, rather than open fire on the Greek Cypriot police, the British escort stood aside while the search was carried out. These two incidents are typical of others which are making the task of our troops increasingly intolerable.
When the intercommunal fighting broke out last Christmas the British, Greek and Turkish Governments, as signatories of the Treaty of Guarantee, offered to make forces available to help maintain the cease-fire and stop further fighting. This offer was accepted by President Makarios and Vice-President Kutchuk. However, for reasons which are known to your Lordships, Britain has had to bear almost the whole burden of the peace-keeping task; and as the situation has deteriorated we have had to send more and more reinforcements. We have repeatedly made it clear that we cannot discharge these thankless duties, except with the full co-operation and goodwill of the Cyprus authorities and of both communities. I regret that in recent weeks there has been very little of either co-operation or goodwill.
434 When our troops have tried to separate the combatants or to protect one group from attack by another, they have been accused of partiality and have been bitterly abused by the Press and radio. As recent incidents show, it has now reached the point where British troops, while attempting to discharge their duty are held up by Greek-Cypriot police and irregulars, who regard the Turkish-Cypriot police and the Turkish minority generally as rebels who must be forced into submission.
Both communities have at one time or another acted in a provocative and unconstitutional manner; and neither can reasonably claim that it has the legal authority to impose its will on the other. In any case, this is no time to argue about legal rights and wrongs. Cyprus is in a state verging on civil war. The urgent task is to stop the killings and to restore some sense of security among people who are now living in abject fear. That is what British soldiers have been trying to do. We have all admired their courage, their discipline and their unbelievable patience. But there is a limit to the dangers and indignities which we have a right to ask them to endure.
We have therefore warned the Secretary-General of the United Nations that we cannot much longer carry this burden alone, not only unaided but actively obstructed by those whom we are trying to help. We are exerting all our efforts to assist the Secretary-General to establish a United Nations force which can be sent to Cyprus without further dangerous delay. We have asked him to inform us to-morrow of the progress he has made and of his assessment of the prospects of success. In the light of his reply, we will review our position.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Lord, the Leader of the House, for giving the answer to the Question. I am sure the whole House will agree that it is a statement of very considerable importance. It was right to inform Parliament of the nature of the present circumstances in relation to the new opposition to British troops there and in regard to the anxieties which are felt about the situation. In consequence, one is bound to say at once that the communication made by the 435 Government to the Secretary-General of the United Nations is wholly justified, and I hope it will not be long before we get an answer. In the meantime, I join with the noble Lord in the view that our troops have been given a difficult task and they have been very patient; and all I can ask them to do is to go on being patient as long as possible until some relief can come.
LORD REAMy Lords, in supporting the noble Earl, the Leader of the Opposition, I was glad to hear that his Party is in principle entirely behind the Government's statement. I have great pleasure in adding that we on these Benches also endorse it. Although I have no right to speak for the Cross-Benches, or for the Bishops' Bench, I cannot help feeling that the whole House is behind the sense of the statement made by the noble Lord, the Leader of the House. In the earlier part of his statement the noble Lord reminded us that all three signatories of the Treaty of Guarantee offered to make forces available to help maintain the cease-fire. Some of us feel that that indicates that the Greek and Turkish Governments on the mainland should surely be joining with us much more actively in providing forces to help the situation. I do not want to press the noble Lord to answer that question because it may be embarrassing and delicate, but I put it forward as a thought that is in the minds of many people of this country who have the greatest admiration for the extraordinary tolerance and patience being shown by our troops of all ranks in their difficult task.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, to take the question of the noble Lord, the Leader of the Liberal Party, first, may I say that there are, of course, Greek and Turkish troops on the island which are part of the peace-keeping force. Your Lordships will realise that in this very difficult situation it is sometimes difficult to use Greek and Turkish troops in the situation in which we find ourselves. I should like to thank both noble Lords for what they have said, and to join with them in hoping that it will be possible for the Secretary-General to find and to establish a United Nations force as soon as possible.