Office of the Historian

USUN files, Cyprus—1950–August 1955

No. 389
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant)1

confidential
Paris, October 23, 1954.

Subject:

  • Cyprus

Participants:

  • The Secretary
  • Marshal Papagos
[Page 720]

Marshal Papagos told the Secretary2 privately at Ambassador Hughes’ luncheon on October 23 that he hoped that at the General Assembly, with respect to the Cyprus matter, the U.S. could either in effect be strictly neutral or else seek to postpone the entire matter for this year.3

  1. Enclosure to a memorandum by Key to Lodge, Oct. 29, regarding a draft letter from Dulles to Papagos. For text of Dulles’ letter to Papagos, Nov. 16, see Document 396.↩
  2. Dulles was in Paris, Oct. 20–23, for the Nine-Power, Four-Power, and North Atlantic Council Ministerial meetings; for documentation, see vol. V, Part 2, pp. 1404 ff.↩

  3. Telegram Topol 511 to Paris, Oct. 27, for Hughes from Merchant, reads:

    “Reference your letter Oct 25 Secretary did have brief word Papagos at luncheon Saturday and made clear our distaste projected discussion Cyprus in General Assembly. Papagos asked that when matter came up US either maintain strict neutrality or seek postpone discussion this year. Secretary made no commitment.” (747C.00/10–2753)

    ↩