Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1947. The Future Of Cyprus

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 August 1947, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1947. The Future Of Cyprus

'I’HE question whether Cyprus should be released from British jurisdiction to join Greece is another of the controversial issues that have developed in the eastern Mediterranean area. The island which is close to the ' Syrian coast, is populated largely by Greeks. Of its 350,000 inhabitants, only 20 per cent, are of other racial origins, mostly Turks. The Greek, population has been there 3000 years and its language, religion and traditions are identical with those in Greece. But Cyprus has never been part of the Greek State, either in modern or ancient times.

During practically the whole of its history, Cyprus lias been under foreign do•mination. It has been seized and re-seized by one empire after another, traded back amt forth at the end of wars. For instance, the ancient Persians and. Egyptians used it as small change in their deals. The Romans took it in 57 B.C. Caesar presented it as a gift to Cleopatra. The Crusaders swapped it from one to another. The Turks took and re-took it. Britain got it in 1878, and formally annexed it in 1914. The claim that it should go to Greece is, therefore, ethnological, not. “historical.”

Tt is perhaps significant/'that the Communists have made themselves a vigorous political force on the island. Their main activity is directed against Britain, aiming to stir up anti-British feeling. If they managed to weaken English influence and Cyprus came under Greek control, such a step would, indirectly, strengthen Russia against Britain. In these circumstances, if the Communists eventually seized power in Greece, Cyprus might provide Russia with a valuable Mediterranean base.

Ethnologically, the Cypriots have an incontestable right to join Greece if.they wish, whether Communist-led or not. Some observers feel, not without good reason, that the aim is to facilitate Britain’s expulsion from the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East thereby also weakening America’s position and strengthening the Soviet-backed Communist world. They argue that, as such, the granting of independence to Cyprus might not serve Cyprus or* Greece or democracy.

Mr Fraser’s Compromise Move P J'IIE main Government objection to the Legislative Council Abolition Bill seems to have been that it was introduced by the Opposition. As so many Labour members, especially the more youthful element, openly expressed themselves in favour of a single-chamber Legislature, the Prime Minister’s amendment to the Bill could only be interpreted as a compromise move. Indeed, according to a reliable political correspondent, Mr Holland’s measure brought about a split in the Labour ranks. It was not, it is reported, until the Cabinet had discussed it on at least three occasions, and caucus on far more, that the amendment later moved by the Prime Minister in the House was accepted.

The impression that seems to have sprung up in some quarters that Mr Fraser, in his heart, favoured the abolition of the Council, is not supported by those closely in touch with political affairs. He is known to have urged that Mr Holland’s Bill, should be openly opposed and defeated by the Government’s majority, but found that in a straight out division he could not count on sufficient support from the rank and file. The amendment to refer the subject of the Bill to a committee for consideration was, apparently, forced on him as a compromise move with a twofold objective—to rebuff the Opposition and at the same time to satisfy those in Labour’s own ranks who favoured the abolition of the Council.

The Prime Minister’s attitude now is in contrast with the stand lie took in the House in the early ’thirties when he moved a resolution to deprive the Council of supply and thus the members of their salaries. Labour in those days was strongly opposed to the existence of the Upper House, but it has taken the party 12 years in office to bring itself even to “considering” abolition —and then only because the Opposition forced it into a position where some such action became unavoidable. It is a safe assumption that an overwhelming majority of the electors would welcome the abolition of the Council as at present constituted; whether this country should retain a bicameral Legislature on a reformed basis is, of course, quite another matter. In the meantime a large! number of political favourites and rejected M.P.’s will continue to depress occasionally the comfortable red-plush seats* in the Chamber where it is always afternoon.