Arabs Seek to Prevent Showing of ‘exodus’ in Cyprus; Are Ignored

Ignoring pressure by Arab Governments which sought to prevent the showing here of the film “Exodus,” which depicts the struggle for the establishment of the Jewish State in Palestine, the management of two moving picture houses here announced this afternoon that the showing of the film will open tonight as scheduled.

The manager of the two theatres, Louis Michaelides, said he was threatened by gunmen who also warned him that his theatres would be destroyed if the film was shown. He reported the threat to the Minister of Interior and to Nicosia’s chief of police. They assured him that every precautionary measure would be taken against any terrorism.

Posters announcing the opening of the showing of “Exodus” were removed yesterday following the threats, but were put up again this afternoon, while the Cyprus radio announced that the showing will take place as scheduled. Police in uniform fortified by a mobile police unit are patrolling the area of the two cinemas to prevent disturbances.

Tension between Cyprus and the United Arab Republic was reported to have increased today when it was announced in the local press that an expected visit by United Arab Republic President Gamal Abdel Nasser to the island republic had been canceled. However, according to Arab sources here, the visit has been merely postponed owing to the pressure of work of President Nasser.

The Cypriote Government was also officially informed by UAR Ambassador Mustafa Lotfi that a visit to Egypt by Cyprus Foreign Minister Spyros Kyprianou, which was scheduled for next month, “would serve no useful purpose,” it was reported today in Nahi, a Nicosia newspaper. Another local daily, Kypros, quoted Ambassador Lotfi as saying that the visit was not canceled, but postponed, because the foreign ministers of the two countries were “occupied.”