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It is a crying shame that the peace, which is
maintained in Cyprus due to the balance of powers
created by Turkiye's intervention back in 1974, is in danger of coming
to an end this summer.
From 1963 to 1974, Greek-Greek Cypriot
military and terrorist organisation EOKA subjected the Turkish Cypriots
to every evil humanly possible for over a decade.
Aiming to achieve ENOSIS, unification
of Cyprus with Greece, they staged a military coup in Cyprus on 15 July
with the ultimate aim of wiping out the Turkish Cypriot population and
the Greek Cypriot opposition.
As the late Makarios said in his speech
at the UN General Assembly on 19 July 1974, this was the invasion of Cyprus
by Greece. This invasion was stopped with the timely intervention of Turkiye
on 20 July 1974, which stopped the massacres and persecution of Turkish
Cypriots. Turkiye's intervention not only saved the Turkish Cypriots; it
also saved thousands of Greek Cypriot lives.
Since the bitter days of the 1974, apart
from few border incidents, Cyprus had relative peace because of Turkiye.
Alas, the Greek Cypriot sides determination to change the military balance
in its favour by deploying the Russian S-300 missiles, in line with its
so called defence doctrine with Greece, is threatening to put an end to
this peaceful situation. Once again destruction and death is looming over
Cyprus because of the expansionist Greek policy.
Can we, solely blame the Greek-Greek
Cypriot duo for the situation Cyprus is in at the moment? Certainly not,
most of the blame lies with the EU. The unconditional support that the
EU gives to this duo is the main reason why we are heading towards a possible
crisis in Cyprus.
The historical events that took
place over the last hundred years or so prove that whenever Greece has
the support of the Europeans behind her, she pursues an aggressive expansionist
policy.
As professor Norman Stone wrote in a recent
article in The Daily Telegraph, it was the Greeks, in line with their expansionist
policy, that attacked Turkiye three times in the last century, each time
with the support of the Europeans.
Now that a clash in Cyprus, which could
lead to a wider conflict between Greece and Turkiye, is more than probable,
is worrying the international community.
Western countries, headed by the
US and the UK, have been warning the Greek Cypriots and the Greeks of the
consequences they would be facing if they go ahead with the deployment
of these missiles.
Apart from being a threat to Turkish Cypriot
side and Turkiye, recent reports in the British and Turkish media claimed
that the missiles constitute a threat to the other countries, such as UK,
US, Israel and Egypt, that also fly their aircraft in the region because
the radar systems of these missiles cannot recognise the country of origin
of the aircraft.
Recent arguments, between the British
bases' officials and the Greek Cypriots about the British helicopters spying
on the Greek Cypriot National Guard positions shows that Britain is seriously
worried about the arrival of the missiles in Cyprus.
On 26 May 1998 Greek Cypriot newspaper
Agon, reported that two helicopters were spotted making suspicious movements
and photographing National Guard positions. Quoting Greek Cypriot defence
sources, Agon also claimed that two warning flares were launched in their
direction. Agon further reported that strict orders were given to "act
decisively" if the helicopters remained in the area.
Another newspaper, Tharros, accused the
secret services of Britain and Israel of carrying out espionage in Cyprus,
in an attempt to gather information about the missiles. Tharros claimed
that Britain was concerned about loosing its intelligence gathering monopoly
in the area, as the missiles came with very strong radar system, which
were also of concern to Israel's military.
Although Mervyn Wynne Jones, the British
commander of the bases denied the incident, the so called Greek Cypriot
defence minister Yiannakis Omirou confirmed that a confrontation did take
place.
The fears of a war becoming
a reality in Cyprus were also voiced in recent articles published by the
British media.
Sunday Times published an article
on 31 May 1998, which gave detailed account of evacuation plans prepared
by the British Ministry of Defence. The article headlined "RAF to airlift
250,000 if war erupts", reported that "Britain is planning the biggest
airlift since the second world war because of mounting fears over war in
Cyprus."
Sunday Times further reported that "The
Turkish government has warned that war will start in Cyprus if the Greek
Cypriots take delivery of several batteries of S300 'Growler' anti aircraft
missiles from the Russians."
The European 8-14 June 1998 also published
an article under the headline "Red-hot poker player", which gave details
of an interview with the fake president of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides.
The European said: "In his office on a
corner of palatial former residence of the colonial British governor, Cyprus's
president, Glafcos Clerides, fingers his worry beads. He has a lot to worry
about." The European also reported that because of the leaked report by
the British MoD about the evacuation plans, Greek Cypriot tourist industry
is already suffering and their stock market has suffered 3% drop because
of nervous selling.
"Clerides has only himself to blame.
The British plans reflect international concern at his government's purchase
of S-300 air defence missiles from Russia, due to be delivered this summer
despite fierce opposition from Turkey" the European said.
A recent report by the Russian
newspaper Sevodnya that the S-300 missiles were already delivered to south
Cyprus was the subject of an other article in the British daily
The Independent on 10 June 1998.
The Independent said: "... if Russia has,
in fact, already delivered the long-promised S-300 missiles to Cyprus,
then a full-scale showdown between Greece and Turkey over the divided island
has moved a giant step closer."
The Independent further reported
"If they have arrived, the news would dismay not only Turkey, but Britain,
a guarantor power of the 1960 treaties setting an independent Cyprus, and
the United States, who all argue that they would upset an already tense
regional balance of forces around the most heavily militarised island in
the world."
The Independent newspaper also questioned
"what military purpose" would the missiles serve and suggested that "the
missiles would not even dent Turkey's strategic superiority," and said
that "In the event of all-out war, the Greek Cypriot two-thirds of the
island would be overrun."
After the evacuation report in the
British newspaper, The Sunday Times, a letter issued to American citizens
living in south Cyprus caused outrage and worry amongst the Greek Cypriot
leaders.
According to a local TV report on
5 June 1998, US embassy had issued a letter to its citizens living
in south Cyprus, requesting information on the number of Americans living
on the island. The report also said that earlier in the week, the US embassy
confirmed that it did have a contingency plan for the evacuation of the
2,000 or so US citizens on the island.
Trying to play it down the Greek Cypriot
spokesman Stylianides said that the letter sent to the American citizens
was not a sign that the embassy fears a war on the island over the Russian
missiles.
Ambassador of the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mr Hakki Muftuzade, his lady wife and
his son displayed great courage when they went to the University of East
Anglia on the third of June in the face of death threats made by the Greek
and Greek Cypriot students there.
Mr Muftuzade had originally intended to debate the Cyprus problem
at the University of East Anglia in Norwich on the 12th of May at the invitation
of the Turkish Society there. However, the invitation was withdrawn by
the university when the Greek and Greek Cypriot students at the university
threatened to beat him up and even to hang him.
Mr Muftuzade complained at the withdrawal of the original
invitation saying "We have freedom of speech, they (The University of East
Anglia) should respect this. They must recognise our right to free
speech just as they do for the Greeks"
During his speech Mr Muftuzade stated that the only route
to a peaceful solution to the Cyprus Problem was through the implementation
of confidence building measures, key among these being the opening up of
the holiday centre of Marash and Lefkosha international airport for use
by both communities. The acknowledgement of the Turkish
Ambassador Muftuzade Republic
of Northern Cyprus in order that negotiations can proceed on the basis
of two equal and sovereign states leading to the formation of a bizonal
bicommunal federation.
Mr Muftuzade then took questions from the audience which
consisted of the members of the Turkish Society, Greek-Greek Cypriot students,
other nationalities such as Arab, German, Serb students, around fifteen
British students, guests and university officials.
Fully briefed by the Greek fascist group "Lobby for Cyprus"
and acting in line with the propaganda supplied by this group, Greek and
Greek Cypriot students proved to have little understanding of the 1960
constitution and of the treaty of Lausanne. Indeed they were not even aware
of the Greek invasion of Turkey in 1919. They therefore had no credible
questions to ask Mr Muftuzade and no constructive comments to make.
Their questioning was as follows:
Q: "When will the Turkish Settlers be expelled from North Cyprus?"
A: "That is an issue for the Government of North Cyprus to resolve. However many of these settlers have been Turkish Cypriot citizens for Twenty Years, some have married Turkish Cypriots or have children that are Turkish Cypriots."
Q: "Will Turkey invade Greece to protect the Turkish minority there?"
A: "Under the treaty of Lausanne the Greek government should be protecting all their citizens regardless of their ethnic origin."
Q: "Does the Government of Cyprus have jurisdiction over North Cyprus?"
A: " Quite Evidently Not."
One Greek Cypriot Law student didn't seem to understand the answer and asked for the answer to be clarified.
A: "To all practical intents and purposes the Greek Cypriot regime has no jurisdiction over the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus".
Q: "What can you tell me about the Akritas Plan" (The plan created by the Greek Cypriots in 1963, for the union of Cyprus with Greece through the murder of all the Turkish Cypriots). (NB: This question was asked by a Briton)
A: "I would rather not discuss the Akritas Plan. I would rather talk about confidence building measures and a peaceful resolution of our national problem."
One so called lady, a Greek student and the pride of her family, displayed
her contempt at Mr Muftuzade's peaceful overtures by responding with
"Tell my Arse" to each of his statements.
Another of her compatriots showed off his mastery of the English language
and the high standard of his British education by responding to Mr Muftuzade's
calls for a negotiated peace settlement with the telling statement: "We
don't talk to animals"
The Turkish Cypriot Network would like to thank him profusely for making that statement.
With that statement not only did the Greek point of view lose all its remaining credibility in the eyes of all the neutral observers there, but the Turkish Cypriot Network also gained three new British subscribers.
Our new subscribers said that they were disgusted with his attitude and his ignorance and wanted to learn about the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus and the Cyprus problem from the Turkish Cypriot Network.
The Turkish Cypriot Network were pleased to supply our new subscribers
with copies of Harry Scott Gibbons's Book, "The
Genocide Files" and have added them to our distribution list.
Thank you for recruiting these new subscribers for us.
While the threat of war is looming over Cyprus
because of the Russian missiles, a new threat has emerged, increasing the
possibility of a clash in Cyprus.
Greeks refusing to see that their
actions are actually responsible for the threat of war, have landed six
F-16 jet fighters and two C-130 transport planes to the Paphos air base
on on 15-16 June 1998.
Greek Cypriot defence ministry spokesman
Andreas Harides said that "The arrival of the planes is part of the
implementation of the common defence accord between Greece and Cyprus,"
and claimed that this was intended to "ascertain the readiness"
of the base.
Also the Greek Cypriot defence Minister
Yiannakis Omirou told a local television that the arrival of the Greek
warplanes "proved that the base is operational," and claimed that "It also
gives the political message that the pact exists.”
Tensions between Greek and Turkish Cypriots
over the Paphos base have been high since it opened in January and the
opening caused Turkiye to briefly put on alert the security forces she
maintains in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Commenting on the incident President Denktash
said that in response to the opening of the Paphos military facility the
Turkish side would convert an airport in the north of the island into an
air base.
It is certain that Cyprus is moving closer
to a war, Russians are moving into the Middle east. With the powerful radar
system that these missiles have, Russians will have the overall control
of the region.
Some diplomatic sources are claiming
that Greeks seeing the Cardiff declaration as a victory and feeling the
support of the EU behind themselves, are deliberately provoking the Turkish
side. But others sources are claiming that the Generals who came to Cyprus
on board of one of the transport planes, were their to see the war readiness
of the base.
Time will show whether these claims are
true or not. But the undeniable truth is that the Greeks are becoming very
provocative due to the fact that they have the full support of the EU.
In an interview he gave to Turkish Daily News on 9 June 1998, Dr. Joseph
Sisco the former US undersecretary of state said that the Turkish act of
1974 was not an invasion but an intervention.
Sisco, who was the Ford administration's mediator to find a solution
to the Cyprus crisis of July 1974 when Turkiye intervened after a Greek-inspired
coup was also working with George Ball during the Cyprus
crisis of 1963-64.
In his interview Sisco talked about his contacts
in Cyprus in 1964 and explained how ‘Makarios was playing the Soviets against
the Americans.’
Explaining about his contacts with the Greek generals,
who was ruling Greece at the time, Sisco said: “There was a great deal
of commotion, a great deal of bluster. I made the case that this is a time
for calm, and got only bluster from these gentlemen -- ‘we are not going
to stand for this,’ ‘we are going to respond militarily,’ and so on ...
I said that this would be unwise. ‘The United States does not want war
between the two allies. It would not be in the interest of the two allies.’
I then met a group of military leaders in Athens. Ioannides was not there.
It was a group of navy and army people. The kicker I put in was: ‘I want
to provide you generals with our assessments as to what would happen if
you intervene militarily. Our assessment is that the Greek forces would
be defeated handily.’ Ugur
Akinci with Sisco
I just told them, just like that, that there would not be
great sympathy in the United States for this kind of a Greek move.”
Sisco who still maintains that Turkish
intervention in 1974 was not an "invasion", as anti-Turkish lobbies and
as some U.S. officials like Richard Holbrooke claims, said that
“Tripartite Agreement and despite our desire to dissuade
the Turks from moving in militarily, Turkey had a legal basis for moving
in, including recourse to the use of force.”
In response to a question by the reporter about the US
sanctions on Turkiye after 1974, Sisco explained that he was very heavily
involved in working with Congress in order to prevent the application of
the sanctions on Turkiye. He said hat despite of all the efforts,
they failed to prevent the sanctions and said: “Ford, and Kissinger, and
we still were defeated by the Greek lobby. That was the first exercise
of political power by the Greek lobby in the United States on a specific
issue. That was the first example. They used money, and so on.”