231. Editorial Note
On March 20, during the course of dinner conversation at the Mid-Ocean Club in Hamilton, Bermuda, Eisenhower, Macmillan, Dulles, and Lloyd discussed the Cyprus problem. A memorandum of the conversation reads:
“Mr. Macmillan stated that they were growing more and more doubtful as to the strategic value of Cyprus. With the increasing range of aircraft, Cyprus became less important and he did not know that it was worth the risks. President Eisenhower raised the question of Malta and indicated that he felt that with Malta plus Turkey and perhaps Libya, the UK–US position would be adequately served. Mr. Macmillan said that Malta was by no means a sure thing for the long-range future; there were problems. … Mr. Macmillan suggested that Greek-Turkish relations were now so intertwined in so many places that each in a sense had a hostage in terms of the interests of the other and that he hoped would be sufficient to prevent a war breaking out between the two about Cyprus.” (Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 865)