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

294. Memorandum of Conversation⁰

Washington, December 1, 1958.

SUBJECT

• Cyprus

PARTICIPANTS

• The Acting Secretary
• Lord Hood, Minister, British Embassy
• NEA—Mr. Owen Jones
• EUR—Mr. William Dale
• UNP—Mr. Joseph Sisco

Lord Hood called at his request and expressed gratification for the statement made by the United States Representative in the Political Committee last week on the Cyprus question.¹ He described the situation as fluid. He focussed the principal discussion on the UK redraft of the Iranian resolution which was communicated to the Department telephonically by USUN this morning.² Lord Hood said he hoped this redraft, which he referred to as the second Iranian resolution, will carry the day. The UK is encouraging the Iranians to put it forward. Lord Hood said it represented a real compromise since the resolution makes no reference to the UK plan, no reference to the UK initiative, nor to terrorism on the island, and does not preclude any final solution. He noted in this connection the language in the third preambular paragraph: “but also a discussion of a final solution, from which no possibilities would be excluded,”. Lord Hood said the UK has tried to make the resolution as acceptable as possible, and in their view, it coincides exactly with the statement made by the United States Representative in the Committee on Friday that the General Assembly should not give lead to any specific final solution but rather that the General Assembly effort should be directed towards a resumption of negotiations. Lord Hood stressed that the UK cannot go any further than this draft in compromising and that they believed Averoff might not be too unhappy with the draft and might acquiesce in it (an abstention). In this connection, Lord Hood made the following request: (a) that the United States should encourage the Iranians to submit the aforementioned draft resolution; (b) that the United States should speak to the Greeks with a view to getting their acquiescence to the resolution; (c) that the United States vote for the revised Iranian resolution; and (d) that we let it be known we intend to vote for it.

The Acting Secretary noted that this draft resolution had come a long way to leave out a specific reference to the UK 7-year plan and that it was directed towards a conference of those concerned. He inquired as to the Greek reaction to the resolution and was informed that the Greeks are probably not yet aware of the redrafted resolution since it is developing behind the scenes and has not been submitted as yet. The Acting Secretary noted that the resolution comes very close to the expression of our views in the Political Committee and that voting for this resolution would not be too difficult. However, the Acting Secretary made no commitment regarding how we would vote since, for one thing, we did not know the Greek reaction. In conclusion, the Acting Secretary said we would keep in touch with the UK.

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 747C.00/12–158. Confidential. Drafted by Sisco and approved by Herter on December 5.
1. Regarding Barco’s November 28 statement, see Document 293.
2. In Delga 577 from USUN, December 1. (Department of State, Central Files, 320.11/12–158) For texts of the Iranian resolution and the British redraft, see U.N. docs. A/C.1/L.226 and Rev. 1.