CYPRUS SITUATION REPORT # 18

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06907723
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: March 2, 2022
• Case Number: F-2019-02114
• Publication Date: August 21, 1974

Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
ET
CENTRAL INTE
August
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM .
LIGENCE AGENCY.
21, 1974
CYPRUS
Situation Report Number 18
(As of 1.630 EDT)
Turkish Intentions
1,
but so tar there has been no Indication
of significant fighting on Cyprus. This conld.indi-.
cate that any new.milftarY operatiOns are being held
in abeyance as a result of.diplomatic.pressues.on the
Turks to take no action that would make a resumption
of peace talks more difficult. However, the continuing
Turkish emphasis on atroclties, such -as the recent re-
port of finding mass- graves outside Famagusta, will
make it increasingly difficult .for the: Ecevit govern-
ment to hold off any operations intended to ease the
pressure on Turkish Cypriot enclaves outside. the zone
of Turkish occupation..
ToriS) ErefrirT
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
3� ., Should the Turks
ation on Cyprus beyond the
vince many Greeks that Ank
the entire island. It con
sentiments and place US in
Cyprus in increased jeopar
Turkish Cypriot Views
launch anew military oper-
Attila line it will con-
are doesjfintend to occupy
id also rekindle anti-US
stallati,ns in Greece and
dy.
4. In. a press.confe ence today; Turkish. Cypriot
leader Rauf Denktashmarn d that -the.TUrkish army would
undertake new military action. to proteCt Turkish Cypriots
if President Clerides is �nable tolcontrol the Greek
Cypriots. Denktash also choed statements made in
Ankara yesterday. by Deput Prime Minister Brbakan., that
the Turks will create a separate Tnikish.state on the.
island if the Greeks cont nue to refuse to negotiate.
1
,
5, -Denktash claimed that if.hegotiations-did not
begin soon he would have to establish a central bank
and arrange for passports and other services that would
be necessary under an autonomous Turkish Cypriot admin-
istration. Denktash annoUnced that Turkish currency.
was henceforth legal tendar.in thelTurkish area of.
Cyprus. Denktash also told the press :that Turkish
troops would remain on the1 island in some. force for
the foreseeable future an he expected that the 60,000
Turkish Cypriots living in the Greek zone would opt to
move into the Turkish area for protection.
6. In a conversation with Ambassador Brown today,
Denktash expressed Impatience with President Clerides,
saying that there is no government on the Greek side of
the line. He also said that only a limited number of
Greek Cypriots would be permitted to return.to their
homes in the Turkish area. Clerides has-made some
effort to make the solution of the refugee problem a
condition for opening peace talks.
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
Clerides',Views
7. Cypriot President Clerides admitted to
Ambassador Brown today that he is �riot politically
strong enough to confront the varirius' terrorist
groups in Cyprus at this time. Clerides said that
he will try to organize these elements in some sort
of relation to the state and then disarm them.:
Clerides thinks there is considerable confusiori
among the terrorist groups. He said that EOKA-B has
lost its power base with he fall Of the'military gov-
ernment in Athens. Cleri es also believes that the
more fanatical supporters of ArchOshop Makaribs-will
eventually lose their imprirtance. 'He concluded by
stating that much depends on the Turks, and that his
tasks will be easier if thle Turks ere reasonable.
,
1
1
Cyprus Arrests
S. According to a radio broadcast in Nicosia,
the Cypriot police have released to of'-the'men they.
arrested'yesterday in connection with the.killing of
Ambassador Davies. The third person remains under
arrest and the investigation by Cypriot officials
is riontinuing.
Events in Greece
9. Today's press in Athens quotes an authori-
tative Greek source who.repeats'earlier assertions
that Greece will not take part in Cyprus peace talks
until,Turkish forces pull back to the positions they
occupied on Angust 9, when demarcation lines were .
agreed .upon. The source elso excluded any direct
talks between Prime Minister.Ecevit and KaraManlis.
10. In Crete, 350 Greeks employed at the US air-
-base began s 24 .hodr-strike to. demonstrate their
solidarity 'with the Greek government's actions and
in protest against US policy in Cyprus. .A late report
indicates e.local-government official has called the.
strike off.
-3-
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
TS)D-SEC-4---litET
. 11. The Greek governMent has banned all'demon-
strations, The Minister f Education haelappealed.
to Greek and Greek CypritstudentS to guard Against,
agent. provocateurs.in the r ranks and not allow them
to undermine legitimate student deMands. The local
prees.haa prominently reported that-the demonstration
last Sunday and'anti-American-intidents last weekend.
were -encouraged by. agents with linis-tothe-Greek
Intelligence aervice and the Greakimilitary police
(ESA).. Students_are'quot d as ide+tifying�known ESA
officials and other goverment plants as leading .
demonstrators. The news accounts Suggest that.the
goal of such activity is o diecredit�the civilian.
government.. �
12. Menelas Alexandrakis has been named Ambassa-
dor .4b Washington. He served as Creek ambassador to
Vienna from-1964-1971-and"is considered an expert on
Cyprus. .Accordingsto the:US embasay in Vienna, he is
friendlyto.the�US and very antinta. He is .a great
admirer of Prime Mintater�Karamanlis, whom he has known
for thirty%yearsi although'he is.nOt a close friend.
Alexandrakis�was deputy representative to NATO for over
five years and has served in San,Franciaco and
Washington as consul and press officer respectively.
13. Greece continues to-refuse diplomatic
clearance for landings at Greek airfields other
than Athens,- Flights.in'and out of.Athens require
six hours priornotification... In general', however, .
the US *embassy reports that anti-US incidents,have
ditinished.
Background on Greek. Army Reshuffle
,
14.
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
1 5 .
16.
Military Situation
17. No reports of ihaor cease-fire violations on
Cyprus have been received today. There were, however,
Approved for for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
apqari
rsel
*Ankara
ITALY
ED1TER IVELO
LIBYA
arnaca
Akrotirl
TURKEY
Famagusta
CYPRUS
UK Sovereign base area
Turkish-Cypriot enclave
0. 10
M 1 I. 148
556435 8-74
20
SYRIA
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723
a few relatively minor cl shes in Nicosia and around
the Turkish enclave just est of Larnaca. We can not
be certain, but the latte skirmish appears to have
been between Cypriot forc s and prpbably did not involve
mainland Turkish troops.
18. The UN contingen patrolling FamagUsta'is con-
tinuing to ignore a Turki h order to withdraw from the
area. An earlier order t the UN to abandon two out-
posts .on the Karpaa Penin ula was rescinded after an
official protest was lodg d with the Turks'.
19. Reconnaisaance fights from the-USS Forrestalhave,not sighted any.Gree1 or Turkish combatants in the
area around Crete. i There are no indications that the'
Greek.troops deployed to crete on Commercial ferries
over the weekend are beim moved t. Cyprus.
20. There has :not been any further information
on .the large Turkish truck convoy Which was reported
on August 49 moving west On .the Turkish mainland, from
Karamursal. The convoy was composed of at least.-500
vehicles, some with.troopS in battle dress, instead of
500 troops as reported-in our lastisituation report.
NATO-Greece
21. According to NATO Acting Secretary General
Pansa, the Greek Ministry of Defense on August 20
instructed the Greek representative on the NATO mili-
tary committee that a fifteen-day withdrawl:notice for
Greek military personnel at NATO will become operative
on the date Athena actually issues the recall'order,
Pansa observed that the: Greek officers at NATO have to
date received otily areadiness� order. The Greek delay
in issuing the recall'ordr has provided some en-
couragement to NATO. authorities that Athens will not
withdraw from the NATO integrated military command.,
Approved for Release: 2022/02/28 C06907723