February 28, 1959
PAPANDREOU’S VIEW OF ZURICH ACCORD: The parliamentary debate on the agreements on the Cyprus issue that have been reached in Zurich and London entered its third day yesterday with a speech by George Papandreou, who said that no one could be absolutely satisfied with the solution provided. He accused the government of acting in haste. The regime that has been decided upon for Cyprus is limited independence and democracy, but with the advantage that it would be a sovereign state, and that Greece’s alliances would be restored. The agreement would have a positive outcome for the Greeks of Istanbul. The disadvantage was the establishment of a triple co-sovereignty, privileged treatment of the Turkish-Cypriot minority and the risk of getting Greece involved abroad against its will. He said he would not give the government his vote of confidence on the issue, but was against abolishing the agreements, which the Cypriot people had accepted. Minister to the Prime Minister Constantine Tsatos said the Zurich accord was based chiefly on a statement by Cypriot Archbishop Makarios that he would accept a guarantee of independence. Greece has lost what it was not possible to achieve under the present circumstances and had gained what it could.
