OPINION

August 5, 1954

CYPRUS: The British government, seeing that it is likely to meet with strong opposition to the restrictive constitution it has proposed for Cyprus, has ordered the Cypriot government to take emergency measures in order to terrorize the Cypriot people. (…) The Cypriot government, in accordance with these instructions, has taken the following measures: 1) It has doubled the wages of senior Greek and Turkish officials, including the general prosecutor, Mr Kriton Tornaritis, and those destined to be appointed to the Legislative Body and the Executive Council; 2) It has assigned Mr Tornaritis the task of negotiating with those persons who in his opinion would be willing to participate in elections for members of the Legislative Body. (…) Mr Tornaritis said that the tolerance shown in the past by the government to publications of a reactionary nature will not continue. Local newspapers who reprinted articles from British newspapers regarding the question of uniting Cyprus with Greece or similar announcements from the House of Commons or any other article regarding a change of regime on the island will be subject to sanctions provided for by law.

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