Mr. Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the action taken by men of the Black Watch and Royal Inniskilling Dragoons during and after the recent communal violence in the Limassol area of Cyprus.
§ Mr. MulleyThe communal violence to which the hon. Gentleman refers broke out on 8th April in the village of Marion the road between Larnaca and Limassol. The British troops involved are part of the United Nations peace-keeping Force in Cyprus under the command of General Martola. We have received a report on the incident from the United Nations authorities.
This report states that elements of both the Black Watch and the Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards were at Mari among the United Nations troops deployed to deal with the situation resulting from the shooting incident on 8th April. The United Nations troops were under the command of the Commander of the Swe- 148W dish contingent. Swedish and Danish troops also participated. The United Nations Force undertook to negotiate a cease-fire and to interpose itself between the Cyprus National Guard and the Turkish-Cypriot fighters, thereby preventing any renewed outbreak of firing once a cease-fire had been arranged. The United Nations troops successfully accomplished their task, remaining in position until after the withdrawal of the National Guard on 15th April. Members of both United Kingdom regiments will remain in the area patrolling and manning observation posts.
I am informed that the British troops involved acquitted themselves with distinction in this situation which well illustrates the importance of the United Nations Force in keeping the peace in the island, and of our own contribution to it.