747C.00/12–751: Despatch
The Consul at Nicosia (Wagner) to the Department of State 1
No. 172
Subject: The Present State of Enosis
The Department was informed in recent despatches of the situation which surrounded the formation both of the Ethnarchy (Nationalist) and AKEL (Communist) Enosis delegations to Paris, and in particular of the disunity which dominated the Nationalist activity in that regard. The Department also was informed, in the Consulate’s telegram No. 116 of December 1, 1951,2 of the Consulate’s observation that feelings over Enosis were then much more pronounced in Athens than in Cyprus. It is intended, through this brief report, to inform the Department of the additional information which has reached us since the submission of the foregoing communications.
First, there has been a decided lessening, in the local press, of discussion and speculation pertaining to Enosis. In fact, to one on the scene that development seemed to follow upon the heels of the sudden Greek aggressiveness over the question. The arch-conservative Nea, as reported in this week’s press summary, even went so far as to lash at those “so-called” Nationalist leaders who suddenly became “tongue-tied” once the Enosis agitation reached a “dangerous” level. In that same connection I again wish to emphasize that the popular emotions over Enosis were not, during the recent past, at the high pitch indicated by Mr. Venizelos.
Yesterday, at a luncheon, I had the opportunity of discussing the present state of the Enosis movement with Mr. Zeno Pierides. Besides being the Honorary Consul for Sweden in Larnaca and a very substantial business-man, Mr. Pierides is also quite an ardent Nationalist and close to Ethnarchy circles. He indicated to me that the Enosis [Page 542] drive, as far as the Cypriot Nationalists are concerned, is “finished” for the time being. He went on to say that the last weeks had been confused and hectic ones in Ethnarchy and Nationalist circles, with the level-headed leaders pleading that this is not the time, given the international situation, to raise strongly the Enosis issue. He expressed the belief that those who espoused moderation and the suspension of increased activity for some time, had won their point. He did not mean to imply, of course, that the usual run of Enosis propaganda would not continue, but simply that measures would return to a normal basis in that regard.
I commented to my friend that I had even noticed a diminution in the number of reports and amount of speculation appearing in the local Nationalist press concerning the subject of union with Greece. He agreed that that was so, and said that it was due to “pressure”. I inquired as to what he meant and he replied “diplomatic pressure—upon Greece”. I gathered from the tone in which the foregoing was told to me that the local Nationalists may have received word from Greece that this year’s show is over.
We are “still of the opinion that the key to the present Enosis situation, at least as far as the Ethnarchy and Nationalists are concerned, is to be found in Athens and that the movement will from the point of view of those political elements, return to normal once the Greeks definitely desist from stirring up the matter. Perhaps we should also explain that by normal we mean a state of affairs under which the subject will continue to be an important topic of press and discussion, but not one requiring immediate solution.
One element which we are still studying, however, is the renewed interest of the AKEL (Communists) in the union movement. During the recent Seventh Annual AKEL Congress the Secretary General of the Party, Papaioannou, clearly stated the Communist policy as being in favor of Enosis, and explaining at length that he was setting forth the correct policy in the endeavor to dissipate any lingering effects of the Party’s former and mistaken espousal of self-government. Until recently the Communists had been inclined to relegate Enosis to a subordinate position in their propaganda. Perhaps, believing that the objective is without reach under the present world conditions and thus cannot become a source of trouble to them, their renewed attentions are designed to capitalize upon the emotional responses which the words “Enosis” and “Greece” seem to evoke in so many hearts here while at the same time embarrassing the Eight-Wing.
The Consulate is, incidentally now in the process of accumulating information bearing upon the recent AKEL Congress, and hopes to be able to submit a comprehensive report in that regard shortly.