49. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cyprus1
885. We seem to detect just the beginnings of thinking in both Athens and Ankara that a territorial quid pro quo might be an ingredient in an eventual settlement of the Cyprus problem. We are anxious that these very fragile seeds be permitted to germinate and nothing be done which would interfere with process. This connection, we would want to be certain of UN Mediator’s plans.
For Nicosia: Your 12212 cited Tuomioja as saying he felt two months be required for him to prepare report to SYG. Your 12353 seemed suggest that Tuomioja’s report, when submitted, would include his ideas on solution but that substantive part of report would be confidential and it would be for SYG decide whether make that part public. If you believe there any prospect Tuomioja will submit report before SC meeting, you requested urge that report (1) either contain no recommendations for solution, or (2) any such recommendations be in confidential section of report and report for public record be along lines suggested in penultimate para Deptel 2890.4
For USUN: Your tel 40965 indicates Bunche appears understand danger of surfacing any recommendations re solution unless there were agreement among parties that such recommendations could serve as basis for negotiations, and that, in absence such agreement, Tuomioja should not attempt submit report for some months. We note also that SYG at meeting with representatives of troop contributing countries May 22 expressed view that mediator should give himself six months and said he would discourage Tuomioja from producing report too soon. SYG also said he felt an early report might prejudice prospects for extension UNFICYP mandate. We assume from this that SYG would not pre-sent substantive report on mediation efforts to SC or, in any event, not a report with recommendations or proposals for settlement. You requested to confirm this assumption with Bunche or SYG. If you feel there is any doubt on this, or any change in their thinking, suggest you [Page 103] again emphasize to them dangers of surfacing even vague outline Tuomioja’s thinking re solution as expressed Deptel 2890 and your 4029.6
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–8 CYP. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Drafted by Moffit, cleared by Jernegan and Buffum, and approved by Cleveland. Also sent to USUN and repeated to London, Ankara, and Athens.↩
- Dated May 11. (Ibid.)↩
- See footnote 2, Document 46.↩
- Telegram 2890 to USUN was also sent to Nicosia as telegram 837; see footnote 4, Document 40.↩
- Dated May 13. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–8 CYP)↩
- Telegram 4029 from USUN discussed and analyzed Tuomioja’s proposal. (Ibid.)↩