U.N. Debate On Cyprus

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28128, 17 November 1956, Page 11

U.N. Debate On Cyprus

(Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK. Nov. 15 Australia and South Africa todav ranged themselves against Britain in a surnrise move in the United Nations debate on the inscription of the Cyprus Question on the General Assembly’s agenda. For the first time in throe years Britain agreed to consideration of a Greek item calling for self-determina-tion for the Cvuriot peonle. although Britain still held reservations as to the Assembly’s competence to consider the demand. Britain’s action was seen as a move to cet approval for the inscrintion of a British complaint alleging Greek support for Cypriot terrorism. " The two items had been combined under the one heading—“ The Cyprus question.” But both the South African and Australian External Affairs Ministers took the rostrum to announce strong oooosition to any discussion of selfdetermination for Cyprus. Mr Eric Louw. of South Africa, said that such a matter was essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of a sovereign member State. He had earlier protested against Assembly consideration of two items which he claimed constituted interference in the union’s internal affairs. These were the treatment of people

of Indian origin in South Africa and apartheid. The Australian Minister, Mr R. G. Casey, also contended that while the British complaint against Greece was oerfectly legal the Greek item was completely illegal. Mr Casey said that Australia had taken a consistent stand against the inscrintion of the item dealing with the internal affairs of a sovereign state. In his view the Assembly ’could not adopt a resolution on a matter which he considered the Assembly could not i legally discuss.