Cyprus Still Britain’s Most Pressing Problem

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27992, 12 June 1956, Page 13

Cyprus Still Britain’s Most Pressing Problem

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, June 11. The island of Cyprus still remains the British Government’s biggest headache overseas. In the suppression of terrorism, the outlook can be described as encouraging. Politically, however, the impasse seems as insurmountable as ever. Sir Anthony Eden has said bluntly that Britain will not budge an inch. The Governor, Sir John Harding, is adamant in his refusal to negotiate with the exiled Archbishop Makarios and the Labour Party has even more strongly reasserted its complete disapproval at his deportation and its rigid belief that the only solution which is possible can come from a reopening of the talks with him. Official quarters believe that the defeat of the terrorists may well be achieved within three or four months, but there is a danger that by then the prospects of a political solution might be irretrievably lost. This, in brief, is the summing - up of the position in the eyes of diplomatic sources in London. Sir John Harding’s return to London came at a moment when the security forces on the island were striking particularly hai d and successfully—at the supporters of Eoka and at a lime when the British Government was obviously prepared to implement the next phase of its policy.

Last march Sir John Harding asked for six months in which to show that he could bring terrorism under control. , . Barely half the time has passed and already the situation is becoming more stable. He has hammered his belief, in statements made both on the island and in London, that a balance must be struck between Greek aspirations, fears of the Turkish minority and Britain’s strategic requirements. No such balance, he claims, is possible until terrorism is overcome, and when that is achieved —he gives it three months—he is confident that other leaders will emerge in Cyprus with whom the British Government will be able to negotiate on the future of the island. If the drive for the restoration of law and order is effective within that time, it will mean that by the end of autumn the way will be open for the resumption of negotiations on constitutional issues based on the offer made by the British Government last February. Government spokesmen have emphasised that Britain’s offer of a wide measure of self-government still holds good, but they have qualified it by implying that at the moment they do not believe it to be a practical proposition because of the present situation in the eastern Mediterranean. The present talks in London, nevertheless, are understood to include tentative constitutional measures which, while preserving for Britain all the attributes of sovereignty, might be recognised by a more reasonable element among the population as being liberal and giving a reasonable degree of self-government. Sir Anthony Eden says that Cyprus is an international problem. Because of this it is unlikely that there would be any formal discussion by the Commonwealth Prime Ministers when they meet later this month.

Although Sir Anthony Eden has made it plain that there can be no question of tfie island leaving British control, it seems equally plain that no move towards self-government within the Commonwealth is possible so long as Archbishop Makarios is in exile. The future of the Archbishop, and his possible role in Cyprus during or after any new. negotiations, remains obscure.

Sir John Harding himself has stated that Archbishop Makarios need not expect to spend the rest of his life in exile, although he saw no chance of his being allowed to leave the Seychelles until at least he had guaranteed his followers freedom to make up their minds without being swayed by his religious and political status. One suggestion being floated in London is that both the Government and Sir John Harding—whose firm deter-

mination not to deal with the Archbishop is reported to have strongly influenced the Cabinet’s attitude throughout—would be quite willing to bring Archbishop Makarios from exile as soon as the island terrorism was crushed.

Clearly he could not go back to Cyprus, but there could be a compromise and he could be brought to London.