CYPRUS (Hansard, 17 July 1974)

§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS)
My Lords, with the permission of the House, I should like to repeat a Statement which is being made in another place by my right honourable friend the Foreign and 1137 Commonwealth Secretary. The Statement reads as follows:
"I will, with permission Mr. Speaker, make a further statement about the situation in Cyprus.
"Archbishop Makarios arrived in this country this morning having spent the night in Malta. I understand that he is in good health and that it is his intention to go on to New York tomorrow to address the Security Council. My right honourable friend, the Prime Minister, is seeing him at present and I shall be seeing the Archbishop myself later this afternoon.
"In response to a request from the Turkish Government that they should consult with Her Majesty's Government under the terms of Article 4 of the Treaty of Guarantee—a request to which I immediately agreed yesterday—the Turkish Prime Minister and the Turkish Acting Foreign Minister arc arriving in this country later today.
"The Prime Minister and I will be holding consultations with them this evening. In these talks we will be considering questions concerning our rights and obligations under the Treaty of Guarantee. We shall hope to coordinate our views on what action should now be taken to deal with the situation in Cyprus.
"We shall also be seeking the views of the Turkish Prime Minister on the question of consultations with the Greek Government.
"The Greek Government bear a heavy responsibility for the situation in the island. Under the Treaty of Guarantee they are firmly committed to respect the independence of the Republic and to assist in the maintenance of stability in the region. It is the duty of the Greek Government to avoid any threat to the independence of Cyprus. Her Majesty's Government are still awaiting the substantive response of the Greek Government to their advice that the officers of the Greek National Guard in Cyprus should be replaced at the earliest possible moment.
"My information is that the situation in Cyprus is calmer and that fighting has died down. I have not received any reports that British subjects have suffered any loss or injury. As 1138 far as we know the civil airport at Nicosia, though still closed, is serviceable."
My Lords, that is the end of the Statement.

§ LORD CARRINGTON
My Lords, the House will be obliged to the noble Lord for keeping us fully informed of the events which are taking place in Cyprus. I do not know whether the noble Lord has any information about whether there is any hardship to British subjects or tourists in Cyprus. If there is, will he consider the suggestion I made yesterday about the use of Akrotiri airfield if the airport at Nicosia still remains closed? Of course, I acknowledge that there is difficulty about getting to Akrotiri depending on the situation in Cyprus.
I also think that the House will have noted what the noble Lord said about the Greek Government bearing a heavy responsibility. I think the Greek Government should note that it is impossible for us to excuse them from any responsibility for the actions of the officers of the National Guard. Even if they were unaware of the action of these officers at the beginning, they are certainly aware of them now and are aware of what is continuing. I think that they should be reminded of this, as indeed Her Majesty's Government have reminded them. I hope that the Government will press the Greek Government hard on this point.

§ LORD GLADWYN
My Lords, on behalf of my colleagues I should like to make two points. First, is it possible, or is it likely, that Archbishop Makarios can be associated, before he leaves for New York, with the talks proceeding—I think to-night—between the Turkish and British Governments? Secondly, can we hope or expect, as a result of our consultations with the Turks, that the Greek Government will be informed that whatever the National Guard who have shot their way to power in Cyprus may say or do, union of Cyprus with Greece will not be tolerated by our two countries, or by NATO, or, in all possibility, by the United Nations?

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, for what he has said. On the question of hardship, we have no evidence of any hardship or 1139 injury to British subjects or tourists on the island so far—considerable inconvenience, yes, but not hardship. As to the very valuable suggestion which he made yesterday in your Lordships' House, I can assure him that this was immediately looked into, particularly, as he has just reminded us, having regard to the situation that has arisen in the island, especially in the approach zones, Akrotiri and any other base that might prove helpful. The consideration of the suggestion is continuing, as he would wish it to be.
As to Greek responsibility, I most certainly endorse the words the noble Lord has uttered. He has put the position very clearly and appropriately strongly. This is a very dangerous situation and, if I may re-quote from the very strong paragraph which the Secretary of State has already read to the other place: The Greek Government bear a heavy responsibility for the situation in the island". It goes on to remind the Greek Government: It is the duty of the Greek Government to avoid any threat to the independence of Cyprus. This brings me to the second of the two points raised by the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn, if I may deal with that first. Any question of enosis cannot be entertained under the terms of the Treaty of Guarantee of 1960, of which all three parties mentioned in the Statement were signatories, and which, like others, is registered at the United Nations. I think that is a sufficiently reassuring answer to the noble Lord on that point. Independence means that there shall not be enosis, except in the most improbable event of there being the free democratically expressed desires, and the desire of the people of Cyprus as a whole. The Treaty was framed to meet what was then perfectly clear, and what still remains perfectly clear, that the only possible solution to the Cyprus problem is the maintenance of its territorial integrity and independence.
As to the first point which the noble Lord raised, whether Archbishop Makarios, the President of Cyprus, can be associated with tonight's talks, I cannot answer that question. It may well be that judgment as to how these talks should be conducted most helpfully to 1140 the situation and to the Cypriot people and Government, may go one way or the other. I am quite sure that Archbishop Makarios is being dealt with and will continue to be dealt with as the only President and Head of State of the Republic of Cyprus.

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS
Hear, hear!

§ LORD ROBBINS
My Lords, can the noble Lord inform the House whether he has any knowledge of similar statements to the very important Statement that he has just read, having been made by other members of NATO, particularly in regard to Greek responsibility?

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, no; I have no present knowledge of any comparable statement emanating from any other country, except to inform your Lordships' House that a number of countries made statements at the meeting of the Security Council, and that indeed one or two—I think two—have sent messages in reply to messages they received from the Secretary-General. These will be published in due course. The time difference has prevented today's Press from reporting those statements, but I have no doubt that some time this evening, and certainly tomorrow morning, our own Press will carry at least the gist of them.

§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE
My Lords, could the noble Lord add information on two other points? Is it the case that the Greek Government have not yet declared their position in regard to these events? Secondly, can he assure us that the Turkish minority are still all quiet?

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, in reply to the second question, as I said yesterday the Turkish Government, people and indeed the minority in Cyprus, have behaved with exemplary calm and restraint, exemplary in the sense that I hope everybody will emulate them in this respect. On the first point, I should prefer to answer that at a somewhat later stage if the noble Earl will give me that indulgence for the moment.

§ LORD OAKSHOTT
My Lords, I wonder whether I am right in thinking that the senior member of the Greek Embassy staff in London at the moment is the Chargé d'Affaires. If so, have 1141 Her Majesty's Government made clear to him the views of this country in regard to the action that Greece ought to take in Cyprus?

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, yes indeed. It is very much in the terms of the Statement I have read. I understand the question to be whether we have made clear to the Greek Government the action we expect of them.

§ LORD OAKSHOTT
To their Embassy in London.

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
Yes, through every diplomatic channel, and indeed through our own representation in Athens, what we expect of them in fidelity to the 1960 Treaty to which they, like we and the Turkish Government, were signatories. In giving that answer, perhaps I may refer to the noble Earl's previous question and say in fairness that the Greek Government have said that their intention is to observe the independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus and this forms part of their reply to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. We must all hope that these acceptable words, these messages, will be fully lived up to.

§ LORD MERRIVALE
My Lords, following what the noble Lord, Lord Robbins, said on the question of NATO, may I seek further clarification from the Minister? On the wireless at 2 p.m. there was a very brief statement to the effect that NATO supported Archbishop Makarios. Can the Minister say whether in fact it is the majority of countries of NATO and if Greece specifically has not as yet given any support?

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I am not aware of that statement. I in no way detract from its viability, but I have not myself seen or heard it. However, I would say that the situation created in Cyprus is of great importance to all members of NATO, because two members of NATO are involved in a very dangerous situation.

§ LORD GORE-BOOTH
My Lords, has the Minister any knowledge of the terms on which the Greek officers are employed in the Cyprus National Guard? I ask this question only because it might provide further ammunition for our argument with the Greek Government.

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I could not answer that question. I do not know on what terms they are retained as officers of a Greek Cypriot other ranks force. I should like to look into this matter. I appreciate very much what the noble Lord, Lord Gore-Booth, has said and it would be useful to be clear about these terms.

§ LORD VIVIAN
My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether any steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to protect British residents' property in Cyprus? In asking this question I suppose that I must declare an indirect interest, because a relative of mine has a large property in Cyprus. But I also ask this question on behalf of the 10,000 British property owners in Cyprus.

§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, considerations both as to safety and property are very much in the forefront of our approach to this problem. I can give the necessary assurance that we shall do our utmost to protect both.

§ LORD VIVIAN
I thank the noble Lord.