ROLE OF CYPRUS IN N.A.T.O.

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28261, 26 April 1957, Page 8

ROLE OF CYPRUS IN N.A.T.O.

Views Of Sir John Harding

(N.Z. Press Association—Copy right) LONDON, April 23. The Governor of Cyprus, Field Marshal Sir John Harding, said today that Cyprus might be indispensable to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Bagdad pact. Sir John Harding, speaking in n filmed interview for Britain’s commercial television service, said:

“If British air power is to be used in support of the right flank of. N.A.T.0., and the member countries of the Bagdad pact, Cyprus is indispensable to that effort.”

Sir John Harding listed three major requirements to be met for any settlement in the colony: A permanent end to terrorism and intimidation in Cyprus. Firm understanding between the Governments of the United Kingdom, Greece, and Turkey bn the international aspects of the problemAgreement between the British Government and representatives of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots on the constitution.

He thought that partition of the island between Greeks and Turks practicable in the sense that it could be done, but the cost would be very heavy in terms of hardship, dislocation, and money. The Governor did not agree at all that the release of Archbishop Makarios was a triumph for his policy of achieving political aims through violence.

“We released the Archbishop because, thanks to the sustained successes of the security forces, we had the situation here in Cyprus sufficiently under control to make it no longer necessary to keep him in detention, always provided he was not allowed to return to Cyprus,” he said. “Since terrorism has failed and has been clearly shown to have failed there was no longer necessity to keep him in detention,” he added.