HL Deb 12 November 1981 vol 425 cc313-5

3.12 p.m.

Lord Brockway

My 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 has been the reply of the Government of Cyprus to the United Nations proposal for a settlement of their dispute with the Turkish occupiers of 40 per cent. of the island.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, a United Nations paper was informally handed to the parties on 22nd October. The Cyprus Government have raised no objection to its being tabled formally, but they have as yet made no official comment on its content.

Lord Brockway

My Lords, is the Minister aware that there is a good deal of surprise about these proposals? Would he confirm—and I am reading because I am quoting—that the Turkish Cypriots, 18 per cent. of the population, under these proposals would have 30 per cent. of the land, that they would take 40 per cent. of the public services, that the Presidency would rotate yearly, that they would have one-third of the Cabinet and that they would have the right to veto legislative and constitutional proposals? In those circumstances, is it likely that President Kyprianou, anxious for a solution, or the Greek Government would be prepared to endorse these proposals?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I cannot answer either for the Greek Government or for President Kyprianou; nor, I fear, can I comment on the details to which the noble Lord referred, which doubtless he has obtained from some unofficial source.

Lord Maybray-King

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the new Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Papandreou, has rightly pointed out that this problem of the Greeks and the Turks in Cyprus is not an inter-communal problem only, but arises from the fact that this independent sovereign state of Cyprus has been invaded and occupied now for several years, that the efforts of the United Nations to bring the contenders together have so far failed because Turkey has not responded to the latest appeal? Can he ask his noble friend, whose work we so much admire, whether he could take some initiative in bringing this whole question either to the three co-chairmen appointed for the purpose of looking after the sovereignty of Cyprus or to the United Nations again?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, the opening part of the noble Lord's supplementary question, of course, puts one view of this problem. As for an intervention by my noble friend, I think it is important that we do nothing to cut across the present United Nations initiative and the current intercommunal talks. But we are ready to help in any way that the United Nations or the parties may find useful.

Baroness Jeger

My Lords, when the noble Lord says that it would not seem advisable for the Foreign Secretary to intervene, is he saying that Her Majesty's Government do not regard themselves any longer as a guarantor power of Cyprus, which was put into the Treaty of Independence? Surely we have a special responsibility. Would it not be helpful if, when the Foreign Secretary is touring the Middle East, he could spare some time to take this problem on board and perhaps visit Cyprus?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, our anxiety to see a solution to this matter is no less acute because of our position as a guarantor power. But I say again that I think it is necessary for the proper procedures to be advanced in this matter. The United Nations have made significant progress in recent months and weeks, and I think it would be wrong if we were now to try to cut across that procedure without at least a clear indication from the parties that that was their wish.

Lord Brockway

My Lords, while many of us have the greatest respect for Dr. Waldheim, may I ask the noble Lord whether his proposals have been endorsed by the Security Council of the United Nations, and have the British Government given support to them? Is the noble Lord aware that so many of us are surprised that he should have made such biased proposals for a solution of this problem?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I am surprised to hear the noble Lord speaking in those terms. These proposals have only just been tabled. No party has yet indicated its acceptance or rejection of the proposals, and to speak in the terms in which the noble Lord has spoken is not, I suggest, conducive to moving the matter forward.

Lord Shinwell

My Lords, why does the noble Lord say that it would be improper for the EEC to cut across the initiative which is now in the possession of the United Nations? Has not the EEC, by its initiative over the Middle East problem, cut across the initiative which is still in the possession of the Camp David agreement?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I did not say it would be improper; I said it would be inappropriate. We judge our actions in these matters by the criterion: in which way do we think these matters can best be moved forward? Our judgment is that it is better for the present to allow the United Nations' initiative to run forward rather than for us to intervene as noble Lords suggest.

Lord Shinwell

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that "inappropriate" will satisfy me if it is a semantic discussion?—but get something done about it.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, the progress that has been made in recent weeks and months, principally through the medium of the Secretary General's special representative in the area, has been quite significant.