RUSSIAN MISSILES REACHING CYPRUS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30714, 1 April 1965, Page 13

RUSSIAN MISSILES REACHING CYPRUS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright? NEW YORK, March 31. President Makarios concedes that some equipment for Soviet-manufactured anti-aircraft missiles is on Cyprus, but declines to say whether the missiles themselves are there, the “New York Times” reports.

The Archbishop invoked military secrecy in declining comment on reports that Greek Army officers attached to the Greek Cypriot security forces were being trained in missile operations in Egypt, the newspaper said.

Commenting on a Washington report that a shipload of missiles from Egypt had come to Cyprus’ but had returned to Alexandria under United States pressure, the Archbishop said it was his understanding the ship had never left port. The missile equipment, the Archbishop was quoted as saying, had been sent to Cyprus under an agreement last September. The Archbishop contended in the interview that installation of the missiles was “justifiable as a means to defend the island.” He would not say whether he would go ahead with the missile programme. The question of Cyprus being united with Greece— Enosis —was “potentially the most explosive aspect” of the Cyprus problem, the United Nations mediator on Cyprus, Mr Galo Plaza Lasso, said yesterday. He hinted that it would be helpful if the idea of Enosis were dropped. Mr Galo Plaza said Enosis

did not have unqualified support among the Greek Cypriots and he was convinced that if it were brought about against the will of the Turks they would undertake “active and vigorous resistance.” The implementation of Enosis, even as an element of settlement, would entail “many complex problems, political, economic, financial and other.” “For example, Cyprus and Greece now have different bases for their systems of law and administration of justice,” he said. Cyprus, which produces essentially the same sort of

agricultural commodities as Greece, now exports most of its products to the United Kingdom under conditions of Commonwealth preferences? It has a higher standard of living and a higher wage level, a different tax structure and a more comprehensive social security system. It also has a different currency system and, being a member of the sterling bloc, its pound is maintained on a parity with the pound sterling and under present arrangements is freely convertbile into any other sterling bloc currency and relatively freely convertible for dollars.