§ 3.49 p.m.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat a Statement on Cyprus being made in another place by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The Statement is as follows:
§ "I will with your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, make a Statement on Cyprus.
§ "During my recent visit to the United States, I had separate discussions on Cyprus with Dr. Kissinger and Dr. Waldheim, the Secretary General of the United Nations.
§ "It is Her Majesty's Government's view that at present and despite their slow progress, the talks between Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktash continue to provide the best chances of moving towards a settlement. The Government fully support these talks and hope that they will be pursued with a greater sense of urgency. A lasting settlement is most likely to be achieved if the Cypriots themselves agree upon the nature of a constitutional settlement. The present talks provide the people of Cyprus, of both communities, with an opportunity to do so.
§ "Our policy remains based on active support for the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and of the General Assembly. I reaffirm that Her Majesty's Government will be ready to support any solution which is acceptable to both communities, and which maintains the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus. I also reaffirm that, if it is the wish of the parties that we should assist in wider negotiations to reach a settlement, we remain ready to do this or to help in any other forum.
§ "The House is aware that the transfer to Turkey of the Turkish Cypriots from the Western Sovereign Base Area is now complete. Winter weather in the camp in the Western SBA had, as I saw for myself when 886 I visited Akrotiri briefly on my way out to Africa, brought about a significant worsening in the conditions of these unfortunate refugees. It would have been inhumane to withhold agreement any longer. I was not willing to use these people as political pawns and I refute the suggestion that, by this decision, Her Majesty's Government have shown some change in our policy towards Cyprus. Some have even used it to argue that we support partition. This is untrue.
§ "I remain very conscious of the plight of the Greek Cypriot refugees. We shall continue to do whatever we can to help them. The British Government have not forgotten that many Greek Cypriots have lost their homes and livelihood. By virtue of their numbers alone, the Greek Cypriots' problems are much greater. Britain has given over £1.5 million in relief aid to Cyprus, but no lasting solution can be found until there has been a political settlement. Nor have we forgotten the many British subjects who have suffered in Cyprus, whether by loss of life or injury, or by damage or loss of property. We are trying to obtain compensation for them and to protect their interests in every way we can.
§ "Humanitarian considerations equally call for a move by Turkey to help the Greek Cypriot refugees. I understand that a proposal has been made that some 5,000 Greek Cypriots should be allowed to return to their homes in an area round Athienou. It remains to be seen whether the conditions for their return can be accepted by the Greek Cypriots, as the villages concerned are behind the Turkish lines.
§ "It would be wrong to assume too quickly that these talks between Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktash are irrevocably deadlocked at any one point. The problems of Cyprus have never been easy to solve and a long-term settlement of the many humanitarian, social and political problems of the Republic as a whole can only be found by some agreement between the two communities themselves.
§ "I am in continuing contact with Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktash as well as with the Greek and Turkish Governments, 887 and have urged on all of them the need for serious bilateral negotiations to be pursued without delay."
§ My Lords, that is the end of the Statement.
Earl FERRERSMy Lords, the House will be grateful to the noble Lord for having repeated this Statement which is really a progress report on the situation in Cyprus. I think that the whole House realises and appreciates the delicacy of the situation and the fact that Her Majesty's Government are, and have been, in the difficult position of needing to be seen to be fair all the way around. The difference of opinion over Cyprus has led to concern over the Turkish relationship with NATO. I wonder whether the noble Lord is able to comment on that in any way. Other than that, I think the most helpful thing I could do would be to say virtually nothing; but I would merely add, by way of comment, that we are glad to hear of the proposal for 5,000 Greek Cypriots to return to their homes near Athienou. I hope that this will turn into reality. The noble Lord rightly said that no lasting solution can be obtained until there is a political settlement. We agree whole-heartedly with that view and we are grateful to the noble Lord for his reassurance that the Government will do everything to bring about that solution.
§ Lord LLOYD of KILGERRANMy Lords, may I join in thanking the noble Lord for repeating the Statement and say that we endorse the action that has been and is being taken by Her Majesty's Government in the tragic situation in which Cyprus finds itself. May I add a personal note of gratitude to the noble Lord's right honourable friend in another place on the humanitarian approach adopted towards these extremely complex social and military problems. I note that Her Majesty's Government are taking steps to urge that negotiations towards a settlement be carried out. In this connection, I wonder whether the noble Lord is in a position to comment on whether the position has been eased or hindered in any way by the action of the United States Congress which, I understand, is now imposing an embargo on the export of arms from the United States to Turkey.
888 My Lords, the Statement makes no mention of the withdrawal of troops. The withdrawal of troops has been sought by the United States Government and by the United Nations, and I wonder whether the noble Lord is in a position to comment on this and on whether, at the present time, there is a build-up of troops and of equipment by the Turkish Government. My last question relates to the reference in the Statement to compensation being sought by Her Majesty's Government for British subjects who have suffered losses in Cyprus. Is the noble Lord able to give any indication of the sources from which compensation is being sought and whether any interim payments are likely to be made to those British subjects who have suffered so much?
§ 3.58 p.m.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, first, I welcome warmly the tone and content of the intervention by the spokesman of the Conservative Opposition. This is most helpful in what is continuing to be a difficult and delicate situation. However, he rightly put to me some important questions, primarily about the Turkish attitude to NATO. We place the highest value on full Turkish membership of the Alliance and hope that the Turkish Government recognise this and recognise, also, that their membership is as much in the interest of Turkey as in that of the Alliance. I am glad to inform the noble Earl and the House that I have just been handed a message saying that the Turkish Prime Minister has told the Press that it is out of the question for Turkey to leave the military side of NATO. This is a hopeful indication that, despite the stresses and strains that are inevitable in this context, wise council, as we should expect, is obtaining primacy in that great country, that great friend and ally of ours.
The noble Earl also referred to the welcome development of the proposed return of some 5,000 Greek Cypriots to the area of Athienou. We very much hope that this will happen, that they will feel confidence in taking advantage of this gesture and of the facilities provided, and that this number will be the precursor of a much greater return. The noble Lord who speaks for the Liberal Party on these matters was at one with all of us, of course, on the humanitarian 889 basis of what we have done in returning some 9,390 refugees from the Western Sovereign Base Area, in the first instance, to Turkey. He asked one or two questions, including one relating to the United States and its relations with Turkey on which I know he would not wish me to comment in detail. Perhaps he would take note of what I have said about the Turkish attitude to NATO as it is now, hopefully, developing.
As to the withdrawal of troops, the Turkish authorities have indicated that they will make a fairly substantial withdrawal, in the order of 1,000 troops. This is to be greatly welcomed but, of course, it will need to be followed up by a continuing withdrawal if it is to have a real impact on the psychology and the politics of this very difficult situation. On the question of compensation, I can assure the noble Lord and the House that my right honourable friend has authorised Her Majesty's Ambassador in Ankara to make representations to the Turkish Government, and a similar approach to the Government of Cyprus is under consideration. These representations will be made forcefully and continuously until the right solution, as we greatly hope, will be found. I do not think that I have failed to comment on any question of substance.
§ Lord LLOYD of KILGERRANMy Lords, the noble Lord has not mentioned interim payments, but no doubt that is covered by the noble Lord's answer.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I am afraid I can add nothing to the last two sentences of my reply. The noble Lord will understand that what I have said covers the question of interim payments. We hope to have a quicker settlement of that side of it than of the totality of the problem.
§ Lord LLOYD of KILGERRANMy Lords, I am very much obliged to the noble Lord.