Reference: Your Tel 93 Dec 29.
Repeat London (Priority) (Information).
By Bag Ankara from London.

CYPRUS AND COMMONWEALTH

As you have probably gathered, essence of UK proposal is that Cyprus should be granted special status which would be equivalent to full Commonwealth membership with exception of right of attendance at Prime Ministers' meetings or other meetings on defence or foreign policy. Reasons given for excluding Cyprus from full membership include its small area, population and international importance, and close association with Greece and Turkey which might inhibit free exchanges at meetings on important policy questions. Our understanding of UK view on treaty relationship with Greece and Turkey is that it constitutes some derogation from full sovereignty and therefore warrants something less than full Commonwealth membership, rather than that form of Commonwealth association proposed would itself detract in any way from full sovereignty.

2. In informing Canada of proposals, UK made point that Cyprus was unique case and would not repeat not establish precedent for two-tier Commonwealth. It was further stressed that UK only wanted concurrence in use of proposals for preliminary soundings with Cypriots, and that any conclusions reached would be referred back to members for further consideration.

3. In letter of October 3 to UK High Commissioner,⁴⁶Prime Minister recalled that he had had doubts about wisdom of creating new form of relationship in Commonwealth. These doubts had not repeat not been entirely removed as result of further consideration; idea of special form of membership seemed to have serious implications for future of Commonwealth. He appreciated unique and peculiar position of Cyprus, however, and recognized that there was some force in argument that special solution for Cyprus need not repeat not establish precedent. He therefore agreed to use of UK proposals for cautious exploration of Cypriot views.

4. So far as Canadian association with UK proposals is concerned, situation remains at this point.

5. Your reference telegram has provided most helpful indication of Cypriot reactions to UK proposals, and we should welcome any further information of this kind which you may receive. You will appreciate from foregoing paragraphs however (which are of course for your own information only) that it would not repeat not be appropriate at this stage for Canada to intervene with Cypriots, either directly or through the Greeks. Meanwhile your reference telegram has been shown to UK High Commissioner, who has expressed warm appreciation and undertaken to pass substance of it immediately to London.

⁴⁶Voir/See Volume 26, document 117.