305. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State0

3929. Deptel 6852.1 Foreign Office (Addis) told us January 29 Ministers decided last night to postpone publication electoral bill for Turkish Cypriot House of Representatives. Reason is that Averoff and Zorlu now scheduled to meet again February 2, and HMG wishes avoid any move which might prejudice meeting.2 No new date has been set for publication of electoral bill, but Addis indicated that in absence of definite progress during next round of Averoff-Zorlu talks, HMG probably would feel it necessary to move ahead shortly with implementation of British plan.

Addis said Turks had proposed meeting between Menderes and Karamanlis, but Greeks demurred, insisting that further talks between Foreign Ministers should first take place.3

British Embassy Washington instructed inform Department of postponement.

Barbour
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 747C.00/1–2959. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Ankara, Paris for USRO, Athens, and Nicosia.
  2. Telegram 6852 to London, January 28, summarized Lloyd’s January 27 letter to Dulles (Document 304), and instructed the Embassy to refer to the Department any Greek request for U.S. intervention with the British Government to halt publication of an electoral bill for Cyprus. (Department of State, Central Files, 747C.00/1–2859)
  3. Telegram 340 from Nicosia, January 29, reported that Averoff, on being informed of the British decision, told the British Ambassador that publication of an electoral list would force cancellation of Greek-Turkish discussions on Cyprus. (Ibid., 747C.00/1–2959)
  4. Greece and Turkey subsequently agreed on January 31 to a meeting of their Prime Ministers.