Office of the Historian

292. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Read) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)0

Washington, October 28, 1963.

SUBJECT

  • NSAM No. 266: New Action Program for Cyprus1

National Security Action Memorandum No. 98, of September 1961,2 approved proposals for United States action in Cyprus. The action proposed was primarily along economic lines in an effort to lessen communal tensions and enhance the chances for a settlement of Greek-Turkish-Cypriot differences through cooperation in Cyprus’ economic development. As a result of the measures taken by the United States, the United Kingdom, various European contributors, as well as the Cypriots, the economy has strengthened.

However, the relations between the Greek and Turkish communities have deteriorated in the process of putting into practice the provisions of the Cyprus Constitution and some of the unusual guarantees given the Turkish minority at the time of the Cyprus settlement in 1959. More direct political action is required to alleviate the worsening situation. The enclosed memorandum3 notes the recent deterioration of the Cyprus situation and points to the strong possibility of communal violence in 1964. It recommends that the United States adopt a new course of action designed to avert a breakdown of order on Cyprus and the consequent strain on relations between Greece and Turkey, to stabilize the Cyprus Government as a deterrent against increased Communist influence, and to ensure favorable conditions for the maintenance of our important communications facilities on the island.

On October 21, the British gave us the details of a new approach they will carry out in the near future.4 Their plan restricts itself to efforts to promote new negotiations between the Cypriot communities based on “fair and reasonable” Greek-Cypriot proposals, to persuade Turkey [Page 580] to consider reasonable suggestions for constitutional change and to arrange a subsequent informal meeting of representatives of the Guarantor Powers and the Government of Cyprus to approve the changes negotiated by the Cypriots. Our approach serves, therefore, as a fallback position to the British plan.

In specific terms, the United States approach proposes:

1.
The Department will urge the United Kingdom to call on Greece and Turkey to agree to a three-power approach to Cyprus President Makarios and Vice-President Kutchuk, with an assurance of United States support.
2.
The three-power approach will require the Cypriot leaders to reaffirm support of the London–Zurich agreement and the Cyprus Constitution.
3.
The approach will require that the municipalities dispute be settled by the establishment of separate town councils as specified in the Constitution but with the understanding that the separate councils will be superseded by joint municipalities after a test period.
4.
The three-power approach will also in effect revise the London–Zurich agreement to allow the two communities to use normal amendment procedures in the case of two presently unamendable but highly contentious articles of the Constitution.

Benjamin H. Read5
  1. Source: Department of State, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 266. Secret. Drafted by Bracken and cleared by G/PM, BNA, S/P, M, L, NEA, G, CIA, and the Department of Defense (ISA).↩
  2. Document 290.↩
  3. Document 250.↩
  4. Not printed.↩
  5. The British plan was transmitted in telegram 1973 from London, October 21. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 Cyp)↩
  6. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature. Grant G. Hilliker signed for Read.↩