Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume X, Part 1, Eastern Europe Region; Soviet Union; Cyprus

229. Telegram From the Embassy in Turkey to the Department of State⁰

Ankara, June 15, 1958, 8 p.m.

3084. Paris for USRO, West and Thurston. Foreign Minister Zorlu called me Foreign Office 18:30 hours and handed me reply Prime Minister Menderes to message from President Eisenhower (Deptel 3864).¹ Message reads:

“Mr. President, I have received and carefully considered the messages² which you have been kind enough to send to me through Ambassador Fletcher Warren.

I had already had the opportunity of submitting to you the views of the Turkish Government in regard to the Cyprus question³ which has become a dispute of increasing gravity for the last four years between three allies within the national alliance.

As you are already aware, Mr. President, the question was first created by Greece and all the efforts made by Turkey to find a peaceful solution have remained fruitless. Even when Turkey, with the object of reaching a compromise in this matter and at great sacrifice, accepted the idea of partition, which had first been put forward by Mr. Averoff, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece and later recommended by the United Kingdom,⁴ Greece adopted a more pretentions (sic) attitude towards this concession and further intensified its encouragement of the campaign of terrorism which it had undertaken with the purpose of securing the annexation of the Island; I think that it would also be useful if I informed you in this connection, Mr. President, that Turks in villages where they are not as numerous as the Greeks have been subjected to a constant propaganda of terrorism for the last two years, and have been forced to migrate to places where the Turks are in majority.

The Turkish Government fully realizes the importance of NATO [not] only for Turkey but for the entire peace-loving world, and the necessity of maintaining maximum solidarity among allies in these critical times for the world. However, the Turkish Government is also of the opinion that the Turkish nation which has so valiantly taken its due place among the peoples that constitute the front of freedom and justice, would be justified in expecting to be treated in the same spirit by its NATO allies, in its national issues.

The Turkish Government has been in contact and discussion with the British Government for a long time, and is convinced that a radical solution of the dispute between the three governments can only be reached through the partition of the Island. A memorandum containing the basic reasons and convincing justification of this attitude of the Turkish Government had been handed to the United States Government on April 25, 1957,⁵ and the same views were explained to the British Government. The only objection raised to partition up to now had been that of mandatory migration among the communities. As I have already pointed out, it has started in the Island and has been going on for over a year. But unfortunately this has been going on through threats and violent incidents, and if it continues the actual partition of the Island would become a reality in a year’s time, under most tragic circumstances.

I completely share your views in regard to the gravity of the situation. The patience of the Turkish community in Cyprus and of the Turkish people is going through a very hard test. My government and I personally will do our best to calm down our public opinion. But as you are very well aware, Mr. President, it is an extremely difficult course for governments to act against the justified feelings and emotions of public opinion. In particular when the Turkish Government has been trying to calm down the public opinion since the beginning of the Cyprus question, has been telling the country to trust its allies, but unfortunately has not received the same understanding from its allies. However, you may rest assured that the suggestion and views expressed by the US Government and its eminent President will be considered with great attention and due importance.

Now, the last hope of the Turkish Government, at the moment when the matter is being considered in the North Atlantic Council, is that Turkey’s legitimate position would receive understanding and that the extreme expansionist aims of Greece would not have the benefit of favourable support.

I would also like to convey to you, Mr. President, my concern in regard to the dangers involved in the consideration of this question and in the adoption of any final decision in the North Atlantic Council. I sincerely hope that the result will be to the benefit of all of us.

I wish to assure you that Turkey will spare no effort for the preservation of peace and order. However, it is a fact that the Turkish community in Cyprus has been attacked and threatened during the past several years. I do not intend to go into the details of the recent incidents, for I do not wish to take up your valuable time, but I only want to say that the Turkish community today is in a position of self-defense. May I ask you, Mr. President, to share my well-founded conviction in this respect, and believe me that I mention this fact so that you may rest assured in your conscience.

With my highest regards and esteem,

Sincerely, Adnan Menderes”

[Here follows the remainder of the telegram.]

Warren

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 711.11–EI/6–1558. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution; Presidential Handling. Received at 5:30 p.m. Transmitted in two sections. Repeated to London, Paris, Athens, and Nicosia.
1. See footnote 2, Document 221.
2. Reference is to Eisenhower’s letter (see Document 221) and the message that Warren conveyed to Menderes on June 12 (see Document 218).
3. Document 175.
4. No reference to a Greek proposal for partition has been found. In his December 19, 1956, statement to Parliament, Lennox-Boyd indicated that the British Government would consider partition as a last resort. See footnote 2, Document 171.
5. Text of this aide-memoire was transmitted to the Department of State in despatch 678 from Ankara, April 29, 1957. (Department of State, Central Files, 747C.00/4–2957)