§ LORD MILFORDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what their attitude is to the repeated attempts of the Greek junta to overthrow Archbishop Makarios and to impose on the Cypriot people an undemocratic Government subservient to themselves.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN)My Lords, relations between the Greek and Cyprus Governments are not our direct affair and it would not be right for me to comment on them. But as a party to the 1960 Cyprus Treaties and as a major contributor to the United Nations peace-keeping force in Cyprus, Her Majesty's Government's interest in Cyprus is that peace and stability should be maintained and that the intercommunal dispute should be settled peacefully through negotiation. To this end, we keep in close touch with the parties directly concerned in the Cyprus problem as well as with the United Nations authorities.
§ LORD MILFORDMy Lords, I wish to thank the Minister for his long Answer to my Question. May I ask him two supplementary questions? First, can Her Majesty's Government give an assurance that they will not sacrifice the democratic régime in Cyprus in the interests of NATO and its own sovereign base? Secondly, is the Minister aware—and I think this question is pertinent to the one before—that according to The Times Rome correspondent to-day Admiral Gino Birindelli, NATO's Naval Commander in the Mediterranean, is stand- 306 ing as a candidate for the neo-Fascist Party in the Italian May General Election, and that his candidacy adds considerable prestige to the neo-Fascist movement?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I am afraid that I am not aware of the announcement in this morning's Times concerning the gentleman alluded to by the noble Lord. In regard to his first question, I think I have really answered it in my substantive Answer, when I said that it is to the interest of Her Majesty's Government, as party to the 1960 Treaties, to see that conditions in Cyprus remain peaceful and stable so that the relations between the two communities can be allowed to develop peacefully.
§ LORD SUDELEYMy Lords, does the Minister not think that, in view of its importance to NATO, we should actually foster friendship with the present Greek Government, which I would point out to the noble Lord, Lord Milford, is not a junta but a Government based on popular support through the referendum of 1968?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, the noble Lord will realise that of course it is Her Majesty's Government's hope to see the eventual return to democracy in Greece, but naturally at the same time we value the Greek nation's membership of NATO, and this is something we shall naturally continue to value.
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess whether he is aware that we on this side welcome his statement about the need for a return to democratic government in Greece, and also his statement that the main aim of Her Majesty's Government in this area is to use all their good offices to produce a position of peace and stability. Is he also aware that the Greek Government is not the only undemocratic government with an interest in the future of Cyprus?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANYes, my Lords, I am well aware of the points the noble Lord has made.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, can the noble Marquess say whether the peacekeeping efforts of the United Nations 307 Force in Cyprus extend to issues between Greek and Greek as well as those between Greek and Turk?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I do not think I can answer that question without notice. The United Nations peace-keeping force in Cyprus is of course basically there for the purpose of keeing the peace in Cyprus and, therefore, one hopes, in the rest of that area of the world.