SIR,—I read with particular interest your lead- ing article 'Compromise
on Cyprus' May I be allowed to comment on certain points?
Full citizenship in a sovereign State implies duties no less than rights, military conscrip- tion and taxation for defence being among the former. No citizen, however, would even con- template giving up national liberty for the sake of avoiding conscription or increased taxation. By analogy the same would apply to the people of Cyprus.
The allegation of misgovernment in the Dodecanese seems unjustified. No little pro- gress has been achieved. Separate education for Greeks and Turks, as well as social welfare, have received particular care; exten- sive lands, which passed from the Italian to the Greek authorities, were distributed free to the rural population, together with all necessary implements; agriculture has received such impetus from government assistance that in a few years annual production has nearly doubled.
As to relations between Greece and Turkey, every effort should be made to avoid any straining of them, in the common interests. They need not be affected by the question of Cyprus, in which Turkey's legitimate concern over the Turkish minority can be fully satis- fied by safeguards for minority rights. Such rights will be gladly agreed to by the Greeks, whose feelings towards the Turks are those of friendliness and good will.
Matters of defence should not present in- superable difficulties. Considering that Greece is a member of NATO and a staunch ally, proved through two great wars, satisfactory arrangements can well be reached over the defence problem. If the right spirit prevails at the conference, constructive results may be achieved upon the basis of self-determination. —Yours faithfully, ZENON ROSSIDES Delegate of the Ethnarchy of Cyprus Park Lane Hotel, W1
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