§ 3.33 p.m.
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, with the permission of the House I should like to repeat a Statement being made in another place by my right honourable friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. The Statement reads as follows:
"I will with your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, make a further Statement about Cyprus.
"Members of the House will have been following with great anxiety the very serious situation in the Eastern Mediterranean following the decision of the Turkish Government to land forces on Cyprus in the early hours of Saturday, July 20. Fighting has been continuous since then including fighting between the communities and the House will have heard with great relief that the Governments of Greece and Turkey have agreed that a cease-fire should become effective from three o'clock today (London time). In view of the assurances that have been given I trust that the fighting within Cyprus will now die down and that the suffering of the Cypriot people will be ended.
"During the weekend and in a period of intense diplomatic activity our main purpose was to achieve a ceasefire at the earliest possible moment, to prevent the fighting from spreading or escalating and measures to safeguard the lives of British dependents of our troops, British residents and British tourists. Dr. Kissinger and I held continuous discussions throughout Saturday and Sunday separately with the Prime Minister of Turkey and the Foreign Minister of Greece. I remained in touch with M. Sauvagnargues, the current President of the Nine, with the Secretary General of the United Nations and with the Secretary General of NATO who supported our efforts.
"It is now very important to look to the future. Under paragraph 2 of 1430 the Security Council Resolution number 353 which was passed on Saturday a call was made for a cease fire and for maximum restraint. If things go well that provision is now in the process of coming into effect. Under paragraph 5 of the same Resolution there was a call for talks between the three guarantor powers and we must get on with them urgently. I have this morning invited the Governments of Greece and Turkey to meet with me urgently. This morning the Foreign Minister of Greece informed me of his willingness to attend talks in Geneva, and shortly before I came to the House, the Prime Minister of Turkey spoke to me and indicated his agreement to Geneva as the meeting place. I trust that these talks will begin either tomorrow or on Wednesday.
"The safety of British citizens in Cyprus has been given the highest priority by Her Majesty's Government since the crisis began. My honourable Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been put in direct and personal charge of their welfare. My honourable Friend the Under-Secretary for Air has been in the Sovereign Base Areas since Saturday. A large proportion of the British citizens together with a considerable number of other foreign nationals are now concentrated in the Sovereign Base Areas. Those British citizens still scattered about the island, and particularly those near Kyrenia, should now gain respite if the ceasefire holds. We are however continuing to make urgent arrangements for their protection and removal if they so wish. I am sure the House would like to pay high tribute to the excellent work of the British Forces in Cyprus, the British High Commission and the United Nations Forces and to the good co-operation between them. Among many outstanding operations yesterday's convoy from Dhekelia to Nicosia and back was a remarkable achievement. The good sense and the good spirits of the British dependents themselves, the British residents and the British tourists have helped greatly the efforts to ensure their safety. The House will have heard with sorrow the news of the death of the son of a British Serviceman in Cyprus and the accidental death of one 1431 of the British soldiers serving with the United Nations Forces. We send out our sympathy to their families and indeed to the families of all those in Cyprus, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot alike, who have suffered death, injury or loss in the tragic events of the last three days.
"Mr. Speaker, a great deal has to be done to ensure the return to constitutional rule in Cyprus which was destroyed last Monday and to devise arrangements which will produce the necessary confidence among all concerned that this will be maintained in future. We are at the beginning of the process of consultation and negotiation to that end. 1 assure the House that the British Government will continue to work strenuously and urgently in every way to achieve it."
§ My Lords, that is the end of the Statement.
§ 3.41 p.m.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, not for the first time in the last few days we are grateful to the noble Lord for repeating a Statement in this House. We are particularly grateful on this occasion for the news that he has told us about the ceasefire, which is very welcome. It certainly looks as if we may now be able to avert a conflict between Greece and Turkey which, of course, was the all-important thing in this situation. If I may, I should like to congratulate the Foreign Secretary and the Government for the part that they have played in bringing about this ceasefire.
As the Statement said, we must now look to the future and to the meeting which is to take place in Geneva between the Foreign Secretary and the other two guarantor Powers. I wonder whether I may ask the noble Lord opposite how it is intended to associate the people of Cyprus with this meeting? We must never forget that it is not just the three guarantor Powers who are concerned in this matter—it is equally the people of Cyprus. It may very well be that there are a large number of Greek Cypriots who do not wish to be so closely associated with Greece as they have been in the past, and who may in future give more dramatic demonstrations of that 1432 wish. Perhaps I could ask the noble Lord that question.
Other than that, I do not think that I should like to comment, because these meetings will be very important and I do not think it is helpful to make a series of statements at this stage.
Finally, I should like to associate myself with what the noble Lord has said about the British Services in Cyprus who do, as always, what we expect of them but perhaps too often take for granted.
§ LORD GLADWYNMy Lords, I should like to associate my colleagues on these Benches with what the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, has said about the great satisfaction we all have in the armistice and to express likewise the most sincere congratulations to the Foreign Secretary for his part in bringing it off. I should also like to say that we sympathise very much with the families of the two victims. It is indeed lucky in the circumstances that there were not more of them. And that, I believe, was largely due to the very successful action of the British Army in evacuating so many people from Nicosia under extremely difficult circumstances, something for which we must be profoundly grateful to the Army.
I should like to ask two questions: where at the moment are Sampson and his fellow conspirators? Are they somewhere in the island? Have they also agreed to the ceasefire, or is it only the Greek Government? Because if the Greek and Turkish Governments have agreed to a ceasefiere and Mr. Sampson has not, what is the resulting situation? It must be rather embarrassing for both. But perhaps he also agreed to the ceasefire? In that case, I hope there is no possibility or suggestion that there will be any negotiations with Sampson or with anybody associated with him. The situation in this respect seems to be a little confused and perhaps we may have more clarification about it.
Secondly, I imagine that in the forthcoming negotiations in Geneva the object so far as we are concerned will surely be to reconstitute some kind of democratic régime in Nicosia—the alternatives being either a dictatorship or partition, both of which are bad. I should be glad to hear that the Government do not share such objectives in any way. Finally, since the 1433 injunction of the United Nations Security Council in favour of a ceasefire has happily been obeyed by the principal parties concerned, is it now going to fade out of the picture, or has it any further rôle in the settlement of the dispute?
§ THE LORD BISHOP OF LEICESTERMy Lords, it is hardly necessary to say how much we on these Benches appreciate all that has been done and the relief that we feel at the cessation of hostilities. But I should like to express my appreciation of the latter part of the Statement which laid stress on the restoration of constitutional rule in Cyprus, and to say that I greatly hope that this will not be one more example of a successful military revolution.
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, not for the first time may I, without presumption, commend the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, for the statesmanlike quality of his comments on the Statement in a very difficult and dangerous situation—one of continuing danger and difficulty—and to join him once more in commending the exemplary services which our men in Cyprus have rendered during these past terrible days. May 1 also thank him for the sympathy which he and the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn, expressed to the relatives of those who, unfortunately, were killed in these happenings. As to the future composition of the conference in Geneva, I understand that it will be for the three guarantor Powers, who will meet in the first instance, to decide as to who in an added capacity—whether participatory in the full sense of the term, or in an observing capacity—should be admitted. I think we can leave that to the first session of the conference.
In relation to what the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn, said, I have no know ledge of where Sampson and his—I believe the noble Lord described them as "confederates"—
§ LORD GLADWYNFellow conspirators.
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSI bow to superior vocabulary—fellow conspirators are at the moment. In regard to who has agreed to a ceasefire, may I say that it is the Government of Greece and the Government of Turkey and, I am sure, the lawful Government of Cyprus in 1434 the person of the Archbishop Makarios. That is good enough to start with. I would thank the right reverend Prelate for echoing what the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn, said about the—
§ LORD GLADWYNI asked about the Security Council.
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSThe important point in regard to the continuing interest and rôle of the Security Council is that we have kept very closely in touch with the Secretary-General, and in that way with the Security Council, throughout, from the start, and this will undoubtedly continue. I was on the point of commending, if I may do so, the right reverend Prelate for echoing what the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn, said about the need to restore constitutional and democratic Government to Cyprus.
§ LORD DUNCAN-SANDYSMy Lords, I warmly welcome the decision of Her Majesty's Government to assume what I believe is essentially a British responsibility as the neutral member of the three guarantor Powers; that is, the role of mediator. I also welcome the convening of this conference of the three Governments concerned. May I ask the noble Lord whether the Government recognise—as I am sure they do—that very quickly it will be necessary to negotiate very difficult and delicate negotiations on the spot, not just between the three Governments at Geneva but on the spot between the four parties which are concerned in the fighting, for the practical implementation of the ceasefire agreement, as I myself had to do in 1963? May I also ask whether a senior Minister will be sent as soon as possible to Cyprus to do what he can to help to consolidate the ceasefire?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, certainly every means will be taken to ensure that we have full information about the situation in the island. Whether or not it takes the form of sending out a Minister, I cannot say to-day. But we are seized of the very important point just made by the noble Lord, Lord Duncan-Sandys; namely, that there is a continuing danger here because of the inter-communal strife which is proceeding—and may, for all we know, be escalated—even though there is a ceasefire among Governments and official forces. I would 1435 not wish to minimise the difficulty and danger of the situation. I will certainly pass on to my right honourable friend the suggestion—I took it as a suggestion—that a Minister might be sent to Cyprus.
§ 3.50 p.m.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether there is any information available about the attitude of those associated with the so-called new régime under Sampson? Surely some information must be available? Are they accepting the ceasefire? Are they remaining quiet and not causing any trouble at all? Would he also answer this question: Is it not true what the guarantors guaranteed was independence for Cyprus, and can we understand that that is to be the attitude of my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary and Her Majesty's Government?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, on the first point, we are not in touch with Sampson and his confederates. The ceasefire has been agreed by the Governments of Greece and Turkey. In relation to the Government's view of how things should proceed in Cyprus, I can give an unqualified assurance that it will be in the form of a restoration of constitutional democratic government.
§ LORD MAYBRAY-KINGMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that many of us wish to join in congratulating the Government and all who brought this ceasefire about, and would especially congratulate the Army on the brilliant evacuation yesterday of so many civilians from Nicosia? Is he also aware that some of us are still worried about the British citizens in the Eastern part of the Island? There was some talk in earlier reports that we had to withdraw the evacuation efforts that we were seeking to make to get to the British citizens scattered in the Eastern part of the Island. Can the noble Lord assure us that these efforts will go on?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, every effort we have made—and we have been assiduous right from the start of this affair—to safeguard the lives of British tourists and residents, has been dictated by the paramount need to ensure their safety. The truly remarkable achievement of the Army in organising 1436 over 60 miles a convoy which brought safely into haven some thousands of tourists and others will certainly be emulated regarding the 200 or so British citizens which I understand are scattered along the Northern coast of Cyprus. Whether the safest way to do it is by maritime evacuation or to have another convoy-type overland operation, must be carefully decided on the advice of those on the spot. How to complete "operation safety", as I would call it, is uppermost in our minds.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, can the noble Lord enlarge on his reply to my noble friend Lord Duncan-Sandys about the inter-communal strife? Is it a case of scattered sporadic incidents, or something better described as a general flare-up?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, my right honourable friend used the phrase "… is now dying down." This is an exact description of what is happening as the ceasefire takes hold. Inter-communal strife was a feature of the general crisis and proceeded parallel with the international action. While we expect a diminishing incidence of local affrays of that kind—and I do not want to put this too high—one is optimistic that there will be a diminishing number of such incidents. Those on the spot, with the influence of the Turkish and Greek Governments behind them, will surely endeavour to ensure that inter-communal strife, equally with international hostilities, will now cease.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, is my noble friend aware of the deep appreciation we have of the role of the Government during the past two or three days when there has been great pressure from one direction or another? All of us want to congratulate the Government on what they have achieved. Is my noble friend also aware we are tremendously appreciative of what the military forces have done in enabling the residents to leave the Island?
The Conference at Geneva will be between the three Governments which have guaranteed independence and integrity. May I repeat the question of the noble Lord, Lord Carrington: What is to be done to obtain communication with the people of Cyprus themselves? After all, 1437 they are the main element. In view of the fact that the constitutional Government has been overthrown by a coup, will the Conference at Geneva be followed up by some contact with the representatives of the people of Cyprus to decide their democratic and, if they desire, unaligned future?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I appreciate what my noble Lord has said in his first two comments. As to participation in the Conference, I will repeat what I said to the noble Lord, Lord Carrington. In the first instance, as required by the Treaty of Agreement of 1960, the three guarantor Powers should come together in Geneva. It will be a matter for them to decide who in addition should attend, either in a fully participatory or in an observing capacity. 1 note what has been said by my noble friend as well as by the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, about the essential importance of consulting the people of Cyprus on their future.
§ LORD GORE-BOOTHMy Lords, may I from a special position express to Her Majesty's Government and our Forces my deep congratulations on what has been done? There has been so much suggestion in recent days that Her Majesty's Government were doing the wrong thing, that the American Government were doing the wrong thing and that the United Nations were doing nothing. It is a source of great gratification that through the efforts of the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, and others, not only has a ceasefire been achieved, but a resolution of the Security Council was passed which enjoined the parties to do something, and they did it. This is encouraging for those who have the future of the United Nations at heart. Could the Minister expand on the matter of Nicosia in this sense: Many people who have business connections in that city are still anxious about the situation there. Is it safe to say that, so far as we know, other than the two casualties which the Minister mentioned, no British subject has come to harm? I imagine it is difficult to say where everybody is, but can one be fairly sure that this is right?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, to the best of my knowledge and that of my Department, no other British 1438 subject has come to any appreciable harm. I say "appreciable harm" because many thousands have suffered more than inconvenience. Many have suffered from sickness and illness during the past few days. But, regarding fatalities, I can give my noble friend that assurance. May I say how glad I was to hear the noble Lord pay tribute to the United Nations, because the passage of Resolution 353 was followed by decisive action. This is of great encouragement and hope for the future.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I did not intervene earlier because this is an important Statement, but I was hoping that we might, through the usual communications, get news that there had been clearance for the Statement to be made about Northern Ireland. I am now informed that this will not now be made until after the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Statement—and I have no idea how long another place will take on that. I do not wish to intervene in the course of a speech by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hailsham, but I wonder whether the usual channels might have a look at the Statement and decide whether it should be made in your Lordships' House. If it is not made, clearly we can avoid yet another intervention in an important Committee stage and one that may be of considerable length. I am entirely in the hands of the House in this respect.
§ LORD WINDLESHAMMy Lords, I am sure it is the wish of the House not to have a second interruption during the Committee stage proceedings on the Trade Union and Labour Relations Bill. Since the noble Lord the Leader of the House is not able to give us an indication of when the Statement on Northern Ireland is likely to be made, I think it would be better, subject to the views of any other noble Lord who is interested in this matter, to include the Statement in Hansard. As it happens, I have had an opportunity to study the Statement on the subject of Harland and Wolff. It is an important one, but relatively speaking in terms of Northern Ireland it is one of detail rather than of principle, and might be handled in the way suggested.
§ LORD BYERSMy Lords, I and, I think, my colleagues would agree with that course of action and that we should 1439 get on with the Committee stage of the Bill.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, in the light of what noble Lords opposite have said, and if it is the wish of your Lordships' House, we will not take the Statement.
§ Following is the Statement referred to: