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9 
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CONSEIL HE L'EUROPE 
COUNCIL OP EUROPE 
i 
COmiSSION EUROPEENNE 
: 
DES 
DROITS LE L'HOMME 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
OP 
HUMAN RIGHTS 
D 
APPLICATION No. 176/56 
Government of the Kingdom of Greece 
against 
Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain 
and Northern Ireland 
DECISION OP THE COMMISSION 
on the admissibility of the Application 
The European Commission of Himian Rights composed of 
M. P. Berg, Acting President 
Mr. C.H.M. Waldock, President 
MM. CTh. Eustadiades, Vice-President 
P. Paber 
L.J.C. Beaufort 
P.M. Dominedo 
Mme. I. Puest 
MM. A. Siîsterhenn 
S. Petren 
M. A3cbay 
Mne. G. Janssen-Pevtschin 
M. M. Sje^rensen 
Mr. J. Crosbie 
M. Modinos acting as Secretary of the Commission 
Having deliberated, 
Whereas an application dated May 7th, I956, has been presented 
by the Greek Government against the Government of the 
United Kingdom alleging violation of Human Rights and 
Pundamental Freedoms in Cyprus; 
Whereas the Agent of the Government of the United Kingdom in 
a communication dated May 25th, I956, indicated that- the 
Government of the United Kingdom considered that a period 
of three months would be req.uired for the submission of 
their written comments on the admissibility of the appli-
cation of the Greek Government; 
Whereas the Greek Government in a communication dated May 28th, 
1956, requested the Commission to decide in the course of 
its present Session as to the admissibility of the appli-
cation; 
Whereas the Commission decided on May 28th, I956, to give 
precedence to the matter; 
Whereas the Commission further decided, on the same date to 
invite the Agent of the British Government to appear before 
it on Priday, 1st June, I956, at 10 a.m. to clarify to the 
exclusion of any grounds of objection on the merits, the 
grounds of objection to.admissibility which the British 
Government may have in mind possibly to raise; and having 
also decided to invite the Agent of the Greek Government 
to be present at the above-mentioned sitting in order to 
submit its comments; 
Having heard, at its meetings on June 1st, I956, 
Mr. ^allat. Agent of the IMited Kingdom Government, and 
Mr. Cambalouris, Agent of the Greek Government, as well as 
M. Rolin and M. Christides, counsels for the Greek Government. 
Having taken note that the Agent of the Greek Government in the 
course of the hearing on Priday, June 1st, limited iiie 
object of the application to certain legislative measures 
and administrative practices of the British authorities 
in Cyprus and consequently withdrew section B I (a) of 
the application, rese3rving all the rights of his 
Government to reintroduce it by a new application. 
The Commission considers that it is in possession of all the 
information necessary for it to decide the question of 
admissibility of the application; 
Whereas the provisions of Article 27? paragraphs 1 and 2 of the 
Convention only refer to petitions submitted under Article 
25 and not to applications made by governments and are 
therefore inapplicable to the present case; 
Whereas the provision of Article 26 concerning the exhaustion of 
domestic remedies according to the generally recognised 
rules of international law does not apply to the present 
application, the scope of which is to determine the 
compatibility with the Convention of legislative measures 
and administrative practices in Cyprus; 
Whereas the effects of derogations made by the Government of the 
United Kingdom under Article I5 of the Convention relate to 
the merits of the case and not to the admissibility of the 
application; 
Whereas the conditions laid down in Article ijJ, paragraph 1, of 
the Rules of Procedure of the Commission have been satisfied 
in this case; 
Whereas no other groiAnds for considering the application in-
admissib.le have been found; 
Declares the application of the Greek Government to be admissible and 
accordingly retains it. 
The Secretary of the 
Commission: 
Inscrit an Registre special prévu à l'art 15 
§ 2 du Règlement de la Commission Euro­
péenne sous le No. _ C ^ i ­ ^ 
■— 
Strasbourg, 
\t.M^f:^r^J:f^..dS^£^ 
Le Chef du SccrétsTial de la Commission^ 
(Polys Modinos) 
The President 
of the Commission: 
U44yf3^,, 
•S '^ 
(, 
Done at Strasbourg, 2nd June, 1956•