The facts of geography cannot be altered even by the maps sent out from Athens for use in Cyprus schools. From these maps the conclusion might well be drawn that Cyprus lies alongside the southern coast of Greece and well to the west of Crete. In fact, as your Lordships are well aware, it is no further from the southern coast of Turkey than is the Isle of Man from the coast of Lancashire. It is, in fact, an offshore island covering the southern ports of Anatolia and, therefore, for strategic reasons—I know that the noble Earl will not agree with this—the Turks are opposed to any radical change in the present status of the island. It does not really matter whether Turkey is strategically right or strategically wrong: that happens to be what the Turks feel. That is the Turkish position. Your Lordships may agree with the Turkish attitude or disagree with it. But, either way, it is one of the hard facts in this whole affair which cannot be ignored. It has been alleged by the Greeks that we have inspired Turkish opposition to self-determination for notions of our own. I need hardly say that there is not a word of truth in this allegation. The fact is that the methods adopted by the Greeks in the last two years to press their aims have done nothing to make the Turks more forthcoming, or, indeed, to still the fears which the whole situation inspires in their minds and hearts.
So there we are. We have to face these conflicting views, and the vital point of difference is the demand for self-determination which has been made by 214 Archbishop Makarios and those in Cyprus who support him, and which has been backed by the Greek Government. I use the words "Archbishop Makarios and those who support him" advisedly, because it seems to me to have become a tacit assumption that the Archbishop enjoys the support of the Greek Cypriot population in Cyprus as a whole. In fact, no one can measure with any certainty the extent of the support which the Archbishop and the Ethnarchy enjoy. Nor shall we have any means of knowing, so long as those who wish openly to express opposition to Enosis are too frightened to do so because they fear that, if they do, not only they but also their relations will be excommunicated and in all probability brutally murdered.
Indeed, at the present time the only glimpse of the true feelings of the Greek Cypriots may possibly be found by looking at the behaviour of emigrants from Cyprus. If all that the Archbishop and his supporters have claimed is true, one would have expected that the one place to which any Greek Cypriot would wish to emigrate would be Greece and that the one place which they would wish to avoid would be this country, which, according to Athens Radio, is the centre of a bloodstained tyranny. Is it not remarkable, then, that, between January of last year and April of this year, between 5,000 and 6,000 Greek Cypriots emigrated to the United Kingdom, whilst over the last five years the emigration figures to Greece were possibly five in 1952, possibly five in 1953 and 1954, none in 1955 and one so far this year? I do not pretend that these figures prove anything, but I do say that they are very interesting.
They sent out dodgy maps? No wonder so many think Cyprus is a Greek Island.
I agree with what is said in the last paragraph. And have said so several times on here.
