Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

747C.00/8–3151: Telegram

The Ambassador in Greece (Peurifoy) to the Department of State ¹

secret

Athens, August 31, 1951—4 p. m.

1034. Brit Emb informs us that in forthcoming colonial talks in Washington preparatory for UNGA² Brit del will urge no change in current policy re Cyprus. While realizing difficulty of wholly negative response to Grk pretensions Brit Govt sees no possible alternative in light current internatl and strategic situation. It believes proposal for public statement re ultimate attachment Cyprus to Greece wld merely stimulate agitation and that proposal for granting Cypriots dual nationality is impracticable for number of reasons. Offer of more extensive self-govt under Brit Crown remains of course open.

Only positive suggestion which emanated from Brit Emb Athens and which HMG might take up in Wash, was that Greece might be asked in conjunction with its adherence to NAT, to refrain from stirring up issues which might cause difficulties to fellow-members. We pointed out Dept’s reluctance appear to attach conditions of any kind to Greco-Turk adherence to NATO and presumed this wld apply to any formal change of Grk policy re Cyprus, though we also believed Dept wld continue as in past to urge Grks not to upset status quo at this time.

Peurifoy

1. Repeated to London, pouched to Nicosia.
2. Presumably a reference to the colonial talks held at London and Paris in October 1951. See footnote 1, supra.