Office of the Historian

219. Message From Foreign Secretary Lloyd to Secretary of State Dulles1

London, undated.

I am worried at the effect upon Anglo-American relations of the forthcoming debate on Cyprus in the United Nations. We agree, I know, that it would be much better to have no debate at all, but it would appear most unlikely that that will be achieved. The fact of Greek support for terrorism is generally acknowledged here. A hundred United Kingdom citizens as well as a large number of Cypriots have been murdered in this campaign of deliberate violence. Therefore if the United States vote against a Resolution calling for the cessation of Greek activities, it will be regarded here as an unfriendly act and will cause most unfavorable comment. I cannot prejudice the question whether the British Resolution will be pressed to a vote but I do hope that the United States Delegation will make it clear beyond doubt in the course of the debate that the United States Government does not condone the Greek behaviour and urges that it should stop.

Forgive me troubling you with a personal message on this matter, but I am most anxious that nothing should happen to hinder the development of our good relations.2

  1. Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, UK Officials Corres. With Secy Dulles/Herter 7/54 thru 3/57 Vol. I Incoming. Confidential. Sent under cover of a note dated February 8 from Caccia to Dulles.↩

  2. On February 10 at 1 p.m., Dulles telephoned Rountree regarding Lloyd’s message on Cyprus. According to the transcript of the conversation, the following occurred:

    “Re Lloyd’s message on Cyprus. The Sec said what are we going to do about that. The Sec said he thought we would abstain. That we would say we had worked hard to find a resolution that would be constructive but have not been able to do so; we have no resolution of our own and will abstain from any resolutions with substantive implications. The Sec said of course it is always possible in the course of the debate to change our minds but that is the way we feel now.

    “The Sec said R. was to be sure to get some rest; he was to do no more work that day. We would be in real trouble if he collapsed.

    “Re the Lloyd message again, the Sec asked if he had to answer it or only acknowledge it…. The Sec asked when the Cyprus question would come up at the UN. The Sec said Lodge was trying to get extra time on the Israeli matter. If Algeria was finished Monday, probably Cyprus would come up Tuesday [Feb. 12].” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Telephone Conversations—General)

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