195. Editorial Note
On September 6, during the course of a discussion with the President, Dulles raised the problem of Cyprus. According to the memorandum of conversation, the following exchange occurred:
“I discussed the Cyprus matter with the President along the line of the recommendation to me of Mr. Rountree of September 4, 1956. I referred to the prior talk I had had with the President when he said that before we got in we should have some idea where we might perhaps come out. I said it seemed the Greeks might now be willing to settle on a basis which would deal with self-government [Page 405] but leave at status quo the question of self-determination. If so, this might provide a basis for settlement. Certainly the present Government was the best one to deal with and unless something could be worked out with it it might fall and a government with considerable Communist influence take its place.
“… The President agreed that under the circumstances it would be in order to proceed. I said I assumed we would talk first with the British and not go further unless they were acquiescent. I said the recommendation was that Julius Holmes be asked to take this. The President thought he would be a good negotiator for the purpose.” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Meetings with the President)