March 3, 1959
MITSOTAKIS ON ZURICH ACCORD: In yesterday’s parliamentary debate on the recent Cyprus agreement reached in Zurich and London, Constantine Mitsotakis criticized the government for the unfortunate solution concluded for the island. By signing the agreements, Mitsotakis said, Greece had «pointed a gun at the head of (Cypriot Archbishop) Makarios,» since it appeared that the Greek and Turkish governments had signed the agreements while Archbishop Makarios had been en route to London. Any incident, he said, would turn Cyprus into a powder keg and blow Greek-Turkish relations sky high, giving rise to numerous problems in the Mediterranean. He said the Greek people were unbending, but believed that the Crown wanted to close the Cyprus issue, as was evident from the king’s speech in Ioannina. In reply, Deputy Prime Minister Panayiotis Kanellopoulos said the government gave its assurance that the king had made no such comment whatsoever and that responsibility rested solely with the government. MAKARIOS: Nicosia, 27 – Church bells are to ring nonstop and Greek flags will be flown on March 1 when Archbishop Makarios returns to Cyprus.
