HC Deb 03 June 1959 vol 606 cc22-5W
40. Mr. P. Williams

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Turkish and Greek Governments.

Mr. Sandys

The following are copies of the statements which I issued in Turkey and in Greece at the conclusion of my recent visits to those countries.

STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE BRITISH MINISTER OF DEFENCE, MR. DUNCAN SANDYS, AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS VISIT TO TURKEY AS THE GUEST OF THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT.

I wish to express my appreciation to the Turkish Government, to the Turkish armed forces and to the Governors and Mayors of the places I have visited, for the hospitality and kindness they have extended to me during my stay in Turkey.

My visit to Turkey has given me the opportunity to have valuable talks with the Turkish Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of National Defence, as well as with the Turkish military authorities.

Turkey, which is the bridge between Europe and Asia, and Britain, with her base in Cyprus, have very special responsibilities for the protection of peace and stability in this vital area, We are members of N.A.T.O. and also of the Baghdad Pact. In fact we are the only countries which are members of both these defence systems.

I was therefore particularly glad to be shown something of the training and equipment of the Turkish armed forces. Accompanied by General Erdelhün, the Chief of the Turkish Staff, I visited units in Eastern Anatolia and Istanbul. I was much impressed by their superb morale, by their efficiency, and by their high state of preparedness to meet any emergency.

I have been much touched by the warm and spontaneous welcome which I have received from people in the streets in all the towns I visited. I interpreted this as evidence of the true friendship and mutual respect which exists between our two countries.

Istanbul.

25th May, 1959.

STATEMENT BY MR. DUNCAN SANDYS, BRITISH MINISTER OF DEFENCE, ON THE CONCLUSION OF HIS VISIT TO ATHENS ON 1ST JUNE, 1959.

I wish to express my gratitude to the Greek Government and the Greek Armed Forces for their kindness and hospitality to me during my week's visit to Greece. In particular I want to express my warm thanks to the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Mr. Karamanlis, and to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Averof, with whom I have had most friendly and useful talks. I also wish to express my appreciation to the Deputy Minister of Defence, Mr. Themelis, the Chief of National Defence Staff, General Dovas, and the Military, Naval and Air Commanders whose headquarters and establishments I have visited.

My visit to Greece happens to have coincided with the visit to Albania of Mr. Khrushchev and his sabre-rattling speeches on the Greek frontier. I have greatly admired the robust reactions of the Greek Government, Press and people towards these threats and the attitude of calm and confidence with which they have received them.

Greece has every reason to feel assured. Not only does she possess strong, well trained and well equipped armed forces inspired by superb morale; but she is also a member of the mightiest defensive alliance that the world has ever seen. A threat against any member of N.A.T.O. is a threat against all. So long as the partners in the Alliance remain united and determined and do not relax their defence efforts, no one will dare attack them.

During my visit I was given the opportunity of seeing all three Services at work. I went to Tanagra where I was treated to a splendid flying display by the Fighter Squadron there, and I was much impressed at the obvious high degree of readiness of the Air Force. At Skaramanga I saw the fine young men of the Royal Hellenic Navy under training in the delightful surroundings of the various schools.

At Larissa I visited the Headquarters of the 1st Field Army and the Headquarters of the 28th Tactical Air Force. I was particularly interested by what I was told of the Army's admirable plans for speedy mobilisation in the event of an emergency. I also admired the arrangements for close cooperation between land and air forces, which is vitally important in any modern military operation.

In addition to official conversations and tours of military establishments, I have been able to see some of Greece's priceless archaeological treasures, and also to witness the opening night of the 'Son et Lumiére' spectacle on the Acropolis. The famous places which I have visited include the temple of the oracle at Delphi, the castle of Agamemnon at Mycenae, the recent excavations of the capital of Alexander the Great at Pella, the temple of Apollo at Corinth and the medieval castle which overlooks it from the rocky cliffs above. As the relations of amity between Britain and Greece return to normal, I hope that an increasing number of British visitors will come and see the unique monuments and natural beauties of Greece and the Greek islands.

The Greek Government invited me here because they felt that after the Cyprus settlement my visit might help forward the process of restoring friendly relations. It was in that same spirit that I gladly accepted to come. Despite many rumours and speculations, I can assure you that my visit had no other purpose whatsoever. I did not come to express an opinion about rocket sites in Greece, nor to negotiate about Cyprus, nor to ask the Greek Government for military facilities nor anything else. My journey here was quite simply a goodwill mission.

During my week's stay in Greece, I have had evidence in many different ways that the deep friendship which exists in Britain for Greece and the Greek people is warmly reciprocated here. I was particularly touched by the friendly waves and smiles with which I was greeted in so many villages through which I passed in my car, flying the British flag, and by the strong feelings of Greco-British comradeship which were expressed to me over and over again during my visits to the Armed Forces.

It has fallen to me to be the first British Minister to come to Greece since the Cyprus settlement. Both the Greek Government, in inviting me, and I, in accepting their invitation, felt that, after the basic cause of the breach was removed, the sooner we started making things up the better.

My visit has convinced me that there is the same sincere desire here in Greece as there is in Britain for the complete restoration of the old friendship between us. If my visit has, in a small way, helped to break the ice and to hasten the process of reconciliation, I shall be very happy.