Behind all the shiily—shallying over bringing U.N.O. into the Cyprus crisis lies the desire by British imperialism to protect and preserve at all costs its two military bases in Cyprus. Because these bases have become an integral part of the world-wide system of N.A.T.O. —C.E.N.T.0.-S.2.A.T.0. bases U.S. imperialism, too, had a stake in keeping U.N.O. out. ven the pretence that the 'peace-keeping' force would be & N.A.T.O. one was false; at least one important member of N.A.T.O. — France — boing opposed to the operation, The New York Times of February 15-16 put the issue like thiss
",...Behind these issues looms the Russian shadow, which long antedates the cold war. It was to keep Russia out of the eastern Mediterroanoan.. that Cyprus was first put under British rule at the Berlin Congross of 1878, and it is for the same reason that Britain and the U.S. seok to keep Russia from creeping in again through the U.N. and the large communist element in Cyprus."
The origins of the communal conflict in Cyprus can be found in the old method of British imperialism - divide and rule.“hen Britain had to givo up its Suez base, Cyprus took its place as the main Middle Bast base. This brought the British authorities into conflict with the aspirations of the Cypriot peoples. iden brought Turkey in the matter whon ho invited that country's Government together with Greek representatives, in 1955, to a conference to examine 'tpolitical and military problems concerning the castern Moditerranean, including Cyprus.' This conferred on Turkey the right to intervene in Cypriot internal affairs. The Turkish Government subsequently did everything in its power to whip up chauvinist feeling amongst the Turkish speaking in Cyprus.
The Treaty giving indépendence to Cyprus institutionalised this right to intervene by writing in Turkey's authority to bring troops into the island. The imposed constitution has 199 Articles and hundreds of paragraphs regulating the whole functioning of authority and giving the Turkish minority the absolute veto power over any legislation of importance. Whon, to got out of tho strait-jackot imposed upon him by this constitution, Makarios issued a memorandum proposing amendments to the constitution, the extromist clements amongst the Turks provoked civil war. Chauvinists on both sides took advantage of the situation to advance their interests.
It is false to say that the Turkish and Greek peoples of Cyprus cannot and have not lived in peace side by side. On the contrary they have a record of joint struggle against oppression, including that against Turkish domination bofore Britain took over. liven today the majority of Turks and Greeks on the island live side by side with no conflict. British Labour has a clear duty: to raise the call for the removal of tho bases, for gonuine independence for Cyprus, without strings, and for no foreign intervontion. It would be a mistake to see U.N.O. as the panacea in this situation -— the experience of the Congo (we must never forget the murder of Lumumba). If there is a panacoa it must be working Solidarity and unity - betwoen Britons, Greeks and Turkse We of the Labour Party must tako the first step in this by committing the Labour Party to the above policy.