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Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA). In April, EOKA had launched its terrorist

campaign against British troops aimed at ending Britain’s hold on the island and

unification with Greece. 337

On an international level the Soviets looked to counter the influence of

Western alliances and in particular NATO, and they announced on 14 May the

formation of The Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (WTO) --

known in short as the Warsaw Pact. This consisted of the Soviet Union, East

Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Albania. 338

The HEC conducted a meeting with its supporters in A’ali village on 20 May

during which the Party echoed its determination to achieve its demands in full.

Regarding the anticipated Penal Code the HEC warned that such a code must be first

approved by ‘the people’ before its implementation. Although it was not clear

whether the approval sought was through a general public vote or through the

Party’s involvement in its formulation. Closer ties with the Egyptians were being

struck when the HEC announced that it was sending eight students to further their

studies in Egypt. The scholarships were awarded by Egypt and the HEC would pay

for the eight students’ travel expenses. Interestingly, the Movement during its last

gathering confessed to having deserters amongst its ranks. But no further

information was provided as to the reason why these members decided to abandon

the Party. 339

337 For more information see, R.G.M. Stiles, ‘Mayhem in the Med’: A Chronicle of the Cyprus Emergency
1955-1960 (London: 2005); and N.V.D. Bijl, The Cyprus Emergency: The Divided Island 1955-1974
(London: 2010).
338 For more information see G. Holden, The Warsaw Pact: Soviet Security and Bloc Politics (Oxford:
1989).
339 ‘Bernard Burrows, Residency’s Monthly Report for June 1955’, 1-7 (3).

© Hamad E. Abdulla 113