Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Eastern Mediterranean, Volume VIII

747C.00/12–1354: Telegram

No. 405
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Greece¹

secret
niact

Washington, December 14, 1954—12:37 p.m.

1418. Proposed Greek resolution (your 1263)² not consistent with what Secretary had in mind (Deptel 1401).³ It considered substantive and USDel would oppose.

As you point out in your 1255,⁴ Greeks pressing issue because British refusal negotiate with Greece. Department seriously doubts therefore Greek delegate would declare in his speech that Greek objective to have matter discussed between Cypriots and British. “Expanded area of self-government” (urtel 1255) at variance with Greek objective of enosis.

Clear from UN practice motion “not to discuss” normally procedural and not substantive. Thus US support for such motion should not be misconstrued by Greeks.

Greek Ambassador last night urged Department help find “a way out”⁵ for Greeks. Was told Department could not go beyond solution proposed Secretary’s message to Papagos.

Dulles

1. Drafted by S. Roger Tyler, Jr. (IO/UNP), and cleared by Wood, Baxter, Allen (EUR), Popper, Key, and with Raynor. Also sent to London and USUN in New York.
2. Telegram 1263, Dec. 13, transmitted text of a Greek draft resolution on Cyprus, approved by Papagos for submission at the United Nations. It proposed that the General Assembly invite “the parties (Great Britain-Greece) to seek a solution in conformity with paragraph 1 of Article 33 of the Charter.” (747C.00/12–1354)
3. Dated Dec. 11, not printed. (747C.00/12–1154) It transmitted to the Embassy in Athens the text of Document 404.
4. Telegram 1255, Dec. 11, suggested a procedure at the United Nations whereby Greece would state it had wished the Cyprus issue to be resolved by direct negotiations between the Cypriots and the British. Then a delegate introducing the resolution for the General Assembly “not to discuss” Cyprus would point out that British sources had indicated an intention to pursue with Cypriots the question of an expanded area of self-government. (747C.00/12–1154)
5. A memorandum of the conversation with Melas, Dec. 13, is in file 747C.00/12–1354.