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ICFTU, the Cyprus High Commission in London, the Cyprus Workers' Confederation, the Cyprus Turkish Trades Union Federation, the United Nations, and the Turkish national trade union centre TURK-IS.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary welcomed the resolution and stated that British policy had been consistently committed to the preservation of the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Cyprus and that the Government had been pursuing an active policy of mediation and negotia- tion in accordance with Security Council resolutions. They supported an end to military intervention and a reduction in the strength of armed forces in the Republic, and their efforts were directed towards a lasting and effective constitutional settlement which had the support of all the inhabitants of Cyprus. The Government had not changed their view concerning the position of President Makarios, who was the duly-elected President of the Republic, and whose return to Cyprus was essentially a matter for decision by him and the Cypriot people.
The Labour Party stated that the resolution conformed closely with a statement issued by their National Executive Committee which called for the complete withdrawal of Greek and Turkish troops from Cyprus, the safe return of all refugees to their homes, a general guarantee of the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Cyprus, the restoration of constitu- tional order and a democratically elected government, and the achievement of a just solution to their political problems by the Cypriots themselves.
The UN Secretariat expressed appreciation of the support of the TUC for the efforts of the United Nations to promote a peaceful settlement of the situation in Cyprus, the ICFTU stated that the contents of the resolution would be taken into account when formulating ICFTU attitudes, and the Cyprus Workers' Confederation expressed the hope that the TUC would continue its support until Cyprus again became free and independent. The Cyprus High Commissioner expressed the gratitude of his Government.
In May the General Council considered an invitation from the Cyprus Workers' Confederation to send a delegation to Cyprus to discuss the serious problems of unemployment and income security facing Cypriot workers. The view was expressed that the General Council should avoid involvement in any internal political conflict in Cyprus, but that it was desirable that they should be fully informed and that they might agree that a visit should be made on their behalf for that purpose if both Greek and Turkish trade union organisations in Cyprus agreed. In June the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary informed representatives of the General Council that the FCO would offer assistance to any TUC representative who did visit the island.
The ICFTU Executive Board in November adopted, with the assent of both Cypriot affiliates, a statement on Cyprus calling for talks leading to a peaceful settlement and for the withdrawal of all foreign troops, asking the trade unions in Cyprus to work for mutual understanding, appealing for relief assistance, and asking that ports and the airport should be reopened.
(296) HONG KONG
In 1974 Congress adopted a resolution asking the General Council to investigate social and economic conditions and the state of industrial relations in Hong Kong and, where necessary, to bring pressure to bear on the United Kingdom Government to secure improvement by more effective legislation.
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