Cyprus Historical Archive - Alexandros Papagos Manuscript - White Bible 1954

The "Cypriot issue" is, as is well known, a timeless issue, which was originally created in 1914 and occupied and continues to occupy our country in various periods of time. One of them is the year 1954, to which this article refers.

An extremely important Historical Archive is presented here.

The Archive includes:

Confidential 'non paper' manuscript of Commander-in-Chief Alexander Papagos, confidential Telegrams of Vasilios Mostras (as ambassador of Greece in London) and Alexis Kyros (Cypriot rapporteur at the UN and director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Government of A. Papagos) to Stefanos Stephanopoulos (Minister of Foreign Affairs during the Government of A.Papagos) as well as newspapers and clippings with articles in Greek, English and French regarding the Cyprus Issue (the White Bible and the Stamp) in 1954.

This archive belonged to Georgios Coustas, a great Greek Diplomat who was in important positions and participated in events of the highest importance in Modern Greek History, as mentioned in his biography. (In this case ''Member of the Greek Delegation under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Stefanopoulos to the UN for the Cyprus issue. September 1954)

As an example, we quote two articles from the archive:

-Athenian Newspaper 23/9/54

''TO WITHDRAW

The speed with which the stamps of Cyprus were designed and printed is quite remarkable. This study is the only explanation for their rare failure in terms of conception and execution.The lack of elementary aesthetics is not the best argument for the freedom of the mega-island. And fortunately, the real arguments are in abundance.''

-Daily Newspaper 8/12/54

''THE WHITE BIBLE

In response to the historically and morally arbitrary English argumentation on the Cyprus issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a White Paper, in which it presents the official texts and international acts that justify the Greek appeal. The texts that refer to the Ionian Union, first, of Crete, then of the Dodecanese, then and finally, the issue of Cyprus on the basis of the official English wounds and documents. In its last part, the White Bible overturns one by one the English argumentation, as presented before the United Nations during the debates of the 23rd and 24th of last September, the British representative, Mr. Selwyn Lloyd. And it must be confessed that the language of the official texts is so strong, as to justify the hope that it will not remain without resonance among those whose opinion will is of decisive importance for the further development of the issue.''

The following are excerpts from the telegrams:

-Telegram of B. Mostra 18/10/54

"...our numerous enemies are already taking advantage of it as a sign of a lack of civilization and stamp collectors differ as to what it symbolizes..."

- Telegram of A. Kyros 6/12/54

"...I would suggest as strongly as possible that the issue in question not be circulated in Athens."

Finally, the "non paper" manuscript of Commander-in-Chief Alexandros Papagos is quoted in its entirety:

'' 11 Dec. 1954

Pipinelis tells me that it is not true that, in Lausanne, we did not make a reservation for the Dodecanese.

There is a letter from Kaklamanis and it is even mentioned by Pipinelis in his 1944-5 memorandum on Dodecanese.

I'm afraid that this is how the argument related to Article 16 fails, because Cyprus falls into the category of settled and only the Dodecanese to the to be settled.'' 

The file is contained in a green folder that reads

"Cyprian''

''Stamp''

''Bible'