Office of the Historian

349. Telegram From the Department of State to the Consulate General in Nicosia0

Washington, March 19, 1960, 3:57 p.m.

282. Rome for Liaison. Contel 394.1 We are not convinced negotiations on base issue have as yet reached point when mediation either necessary or desirable. Of interested parties only Greek Cypriots have suggested mediation. In our view future British-Cypriot relations, as well as our own relations with all concerned, would be on healthier basis if two sides can resolve current issues without recourse mediation.

Greek Government is aware of Greek Cypriot interest in mediation but apparently does not believe time ripe for it (Athens 2210).2 If Greeks or Turks or both should subsequently ask us to support idea of mediation with British, we would consider such request in light situation then prevailing. We do not wish ourselves to be mediating power.

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If Clerides pursues matter, ConGen should reply Department believes Cypriots and British should continue endeavor reconcile their differences and in present circumstances believes any action on our part in encouragement of mediation would be inappropriate.

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 747C.56341/3–1760. Secret. Drafted by Blood and cleared by G. Lewis Jones. Repeated to Athens, Ankara, and London and pouched to Paris for USRO and Rome.↩
  2. Telegram 394 from Nicosia, March 17, reported on a March 16 conversation between Belcher and Clerides, the Cypriot Justice Minister, in which Clerides appealed for U.S. intervention to settle the bases dispute with the British. (Ibid., 747C.00/3–1760)↩
  3. Telegram 2210 from Athens, February 9, reported that Averoff opposed U.S. mediation of the bases impasse. (Ibid., 747C.00/2–960)↩