Cyprus-Forum.com

[brother]

Britain planned to send troops to Cyrpus after 1974 coup: records


AFP: 12/31/2004


LONDON, Jan 1 (AFP) - Britain considered sending thousands of troops to Cyrpus in 1974 to reinstate the Mediterranean island's president after he was deposed by a coup, newly-released British government files showed Saturday.

At the request of then British prime minister James Callaghan, British defence officials looked at the possibility of sending 12,000 soldiers to Cyprus in July 1974 to reinstate Archbishop Makarios as president.

However, the military warned that such a move risked seeing thousands of British troops mired in a situation "similar to Northern Ireland", where soldiers spent decades caught in the middle of sectarian conflict.

In the end, Turkey responded to the Greek-sponsored coup by invading Cyprus, eventually bringing Makarios back to power and leading to the division of the island which still exists today.

Britain, which ruled Cyprus as a colony until 1960, considered stepping in first, according to the formerly confidential government papers, released Saturday by the National Archives.

There were real risks to this, the military briefing paper warned.

"Whilst we believe that there will be sections of the Cyprus population which will welcome the return of Makarios, and may even actively assist us, it would be unrealistic not to accept that there will be sizeable elements who will actively oppose us by resorting to guerrilla warfare," it said.

"Bitter experience has shown us that even a small number of dedicated men with support from the local population can pin down an inordinately large force for an indefinite period, and we might well end up by facing an open-ended and expensive situation similar to Northern Ireland."

There were around 13,000 dependents of British service personnel in Cyprus at the time, and the document also raises concerns about exposing them to possible danger.

[donyork]

Interesting. But James Callaghan was not then the prime minister — who was Harold Wilson — but Foreign Secretary. He succeeded Wilson as PM in April 1976. Nevertheless it shows the attitude of the new Labour administration (they had just won a General Election) to the Greek junta. With their experience of EOKA in the fifties it is small wonder that the military were reluctant to get involved again. It also suggests that the British were privately well inclined to let Turkey do the job for them, not least in view of the sensitivity of the British bases in the south. More will come out on this, now that the 30-year rule on the release of government papers has passed. But well spotted...

[donyork]

More indeed does come to light with the release of papers today relating to Northern Ireland, and the collapse in May 1974 of the first power-sharing executive. Prime Minister Harold Wilson, it is revealed, envisaged the possibility of a British withdrawal and the establishment of Ulster as a domininon state. In short, Britain had its own ‘Cyprus problem” but in its own backyard, at the time when Greece invaded Cyprus. It is clear from the contents of the documents released that with Britain contemplating withdrawal from Northern Ireland, it would have been impossible at the same time to have intervened in Cyprus. Another reason for leaving it to Turkey...with what kind of nod and how much of a wink? That is still to be revealed.

[mehmet]

It's well known that Ecevit sought joint action with Britain and that was turned down after which Ecevit decided to act unilatirally. The British accomplished their aims by the establishment of the 1960 constitution which gave them two bases. That was their only concern (and the airport became a symbol of Britsh strength during the ceasefire period), not the problems between Cypriots.

[KELEBEK]

I could imagine the British about to launch an invasion, stopping at regular intervals to take tea and biscuits. As much as I love the Brits I seriously doubt they would have been able to stop the violence. They are far too civilized to control two hot headed, hot blooded Mediteranean peoples. And if they really wanted to save Cyprus, they would have done it.

[brother]

Brits are all talk and no action.

[brother]

Britain and Greece wanted Makarios off the island

THE British and Greek governments wanted Archbishop Makarios off the island in the aftermath of the 1974 Turkish invasion and had considered offering him the leadership of the Commonwealth as consolation, the declassified documents revealed.

According to British government documents released on New Year’s Day, talks between Britain’s then Prime Minister Harold Wilson, his Foreign Secretary James Callaghan and King Constantine revolved around Makarios’s future.

Participants in the July 23, 1974 talks - just three days after invading Turkish troops landed on Kyrenia’s shores - commonly agreed that it was best for Archbishop Makarios to leave the island to avoid fanning political instability.

Wilson had said that if the Archbishop were to return to Cyprus, he would remain President for a limited period only and stand down after Presidential elections.

But Callaghan said even if Makarios was persuaded to stand down - which was considered doubtful - his mere presence on the island could precipitate instability.

"Mr Callaghan thought that even if the Archbishop could be persuaded to stand down...and Mr (Glafcos) Clerides were to be elected, the continuing presence of the Archbishop in Cyprus would pose a threat to political stability," the documents said.

Unlikely

 

King Constantine said the "only possible solution" for Makarios to leave the island was to offer him the post of Metropolitan of Athens. But Wilson suggested pitching to Makarios the leadership of the Commonwealth.

"The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary suggested that the best solution would be if the Archbishop could be persuaded to leave the island…The King said that the only possible solution might be for Makarios to become Metropolitan of Athens...The Prime Minister could not think of any international post suitable for the Archbishop except perhaps the Secretary-Generalship of the Commonwealth," said the documents.

The Greek King also revealed that Makarios had in 1966 asked him to speak to Egyptian President Nasser about the possibility of his election as Patriarch of Alexandria, a post to which he wished to retire.

"The King said he was willing to do this and indeed saw much advantage in it but shortly before he had been due to meet President Nasser the Archbishop had asked him not to raise it after all," said the documents.

[erolz]

Brits are all talk and no action.

Tell that to the iraqis !

[rebetis]

Indeed, Callaghan tried to put some pressure on the junta to withdraw and Wilson had also ordered a naval task force for the area but Kissinger opposed this plan and delayed the UN Security council for four days. The British hoped for a joint action with the Americans but it was clear that Kissinger did not had the intention to involve in this problem and pressured Britain not to do so.

[Zeybek]

they planned to but THEY DIDNT