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

258. Message From Foreign Secretary Lloyd to Secretary of State Dulles⁰

London, September 13, 1958.

Dear Foster: On my return to London and before we meet in New York,¹ I should like to let you have this account of our present thinking on Cyprus.

We have had useful discussions with the Governor of Cyprus since his return to London last Friday² and in the light of them we have reviewed the whole position and taken some decisions. We have decided to go ahead with carrying out the plan as announced on June 19 and August 15 insofar as that is possible with Turkish cooperation³ and with the refusal of the Greek Government and Makarios to cooperate. There will be no further modifications of the policy as announced, and no further public statement for the time being. The first step in carrying out the policy will be the appointment by the Governor of a Municipal Commission to consider the question of the establishment of separate municipalities. The next will be the installation of the Turkish Government representative. Thereafter electoral rolls will be drawn up, and it may be possible to hold elections for the Turkish Cypriot Assembly early next year. This time-table will not be announced in advance, but each move will be revealed progressively as the time comes for the Governor to take action at each stage. We are well aware that the progressive carrying out of the policy on these lines even if it is done unobtrusively and without prior announcement contains the risk of precipitating a major outbreak of violence on the part of the Greek Cypriots. Our hope is that once the safeguards for Turkish interests provided for in the policy are successfully established, the Greek Cypriots may come to accept this position of fact and see that it is in their own interest to accept or at least to acquiesce in the remaining parts of the plan, which gives them not only virtual self-government in their own affairs but also a permanent built-in majority in the only all-Cypriot organ.

Before reaching these decisions we considered most carefully whether we should try to modify the plan still further in the interests of the Greek Government and the Greek Cypriots. It seemed to us that to introduce any further modifications of substance would run a grave risk of losing the cooperation promised by the Turkish Government after the August 15 statement. On the other hand, it seemed doubtful whether it would be possible to go far enough to secure the Greek Government’s cooperation without sacrificing the essential nature of the policy as announced. The Greek Government have indicated that they would be able now to accept something like the Radcliffe Constitution,⁴ but they have given no indication that they could accept the Radcliffe Constitution plus the Colonial Secretary’s declaration on self-determination of December 19, 1956, which was an essential part of that plan.

We have also been considering the question of the return of Makarios in relation to the carrying out of the policy, but have not yet reached firm decisions. I will of course keep you informed as things develop.

At the United Nations we shall aim to be unprovocative. We shall no doubt wish to make a firm statement explaining our policy, and to show that is the only available way at present of making political prog-ress while allowing passions to cool before a final settlement is sought. We shall be discussing tactics with your people as soon as our ideas are a little further advanced. Your support for our policy has been a great encouragement so far; it will be invaluable to us in New York.

Yours ever,

Selwyn⁵

0. Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204. Secret. Enclosure to a letter from Caccia to Dulles, September 13.
1. Lloyd returned to London after the August 13–20 emergency session of the U.N. General Assembly on the Middle East. He returned for the 13th General Assembly session September 13–December 13.
2. September 5.
3. On August 25, the Turkish Government announced its agreement to the British proposals of August 15.
4. Reference is to Karamanlis’ August 19 letter to Macmillan; see footnote 2, Document 256.
5. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.