Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume X, Part 1, Eastern Europe Region; Soviet Union; Cyprus

310. Letter From the British Ambassador (Caccia) to Acting Secretary of State Herter⁰

Washington, February 16, 1959.

Dear Mr. Acting Secretary Of State: The Foreign Secretary has asked me to give you personally and in the strictest confidence the following account of latest developments and prospects on Cyprus.

Averoff and Zorlu arrived in London on Wednesday¹ bringing with them the documents approved and initialed by their Prime Ministers at Zurich. Briefly, these comprise the essential articles of a constitution for a Republic of Cyprus, together with a draft Treaty of Alliance between Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, and a draft Treaty of Guarantee to which the United Kingdom would be a party as well as the other three.

The constitution is of the “presidential” type and provides for a Greek Cypriot President and Turkish Cypriot Vice-President who, among other things, would both have a right of absolute veto over legislation on foreign affairs, defence and security, and a suspensory power over other legislation. There would be a single House of Representatives (with 70 percent of its members Greek Cypriots and 30 percent Turkish Cypriots) and a communal House for each community. There would be separate Turkish municipalities in the five main towns, but this provision would be reviewed within four years. Cyprus would have an army of 2,000 men and, in addition, security forces (gendarmerie and police) of 2,000 men. A balance between the two communities would be preserved throughout, normally in proportion 70:30, but 60:40 in the army. These are the broad lines of a document which goes into considerable detail.

The Treaty of Alliance binds Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to protect the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic. For this purpose there will be a tripartite headquarters in Cyprus including 950 Greek officers and men and 650 Turkish officers and men, whose duties will include supervising the training of the Cypriot army. The command of the headquarters would rotate annually between a Greek, Turkish and Cypriot general.

The Treaty of Guarantee is aimed at preventing the partition of the island or its union with any other state and at ensuring respect for the constitution. Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom would be empowered jointly, or in an emergency separately, to act to safeguard the provisions of the Treaty.

The two Foreign Ministers have informed us that they intend to propose Cyprus as a member of N.A.T.O.

It is clear that both sides at Zurich were anxious to maintain the British connection with Cyprus and to allow for British sovereign bases on the island. They have left it to us to lay down how our requirements are to be met. We shall put forward a document for this purpose. Apart from the bases to be retained under British sovereignty (which will be confined to two relatively small areas) we shall, of course, want full use of our necessary installations elsewhere in the island and facilities such as communications for the use of our bases and installations. We also need unrestricted use of Nicosia Airport which would not be a British sovereign base. It is important to us that these requirements should be guaranteed by Greece and Turkey as well as by the new Republic. We are also concerned to ensure by agreement with Greece and Turkey that the transition to independence is orderly but also speedy, and that the interests of all categories of Cypriots and residents in Cyprus are cared for.

We are now hoping that the three Foreign Ministers can agree today, February 16, that the various documents shall be accepted as the basis of the final settlement. It is the intention that these documents shall then be endorsed by a further conference which is to convene in London tomorrow, February 17, at which Archbishop Makarios and Dr. Kutchuk, representing the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, will also be present. It is our hope that the Greek and Turkish Prime Ministers will be present at the final stages of the conference, which we hope to complete in time for statements in the three Parliaments on February 19.

Provided that nothing goes wrong and that this time-table is kept, we can hope for decisions on the broad principles. There must then be a period of elaboration of the details of the agreement but we will do our best to keep this period to the minimum.²

Yours sincerely,

Harold Caccia

0. Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204. Personal and Secret. Initialed by Herter. Secretary Dulles was on medical leave beginning February 9.
1. February 11.
2. Herter’s February 17 reply to Caccia’s letter reads: “Please convey to Mr. Lloyd my very warm appreciation for his report on the present status of the Cyprus negotiations, which you transmitted in your letter of February 16. The progress achieved to date is indeed encouraging, and I share Mr. Lloyd’s hope that the necessary further steps toward a settlement can be taken in accordance with the timetable he has indicated.” (Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204)