308. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation1
SUBJECT
- Cyprus Situation
PARTICIPANTS
- Ambassador Parker T. Hart, Ankara, Turkey
- Stuart W. Rockwell, Deputy Assistant Secretary, NEA
Mr. Rockwell said that the highest authorities here were very much concerned by developments on Cyprus. He asked the Ambassador whether there were any recent indications of what the Turks intended to do.
Ambassador Hart explained that his last information was that the Turkish Government was still trying to decide what to do. He, Hart, had informed (Turkish Foreign Ministry Secretary General) Kuneralp that the fighting had stopped in accord with orders from Athens. Kuneralp [Page 644] was “very happy” at this news. He was also gratified by information that UNFICYP was endeavoring to bring the situation at the “villages” back to the status quo ante. The Ambassador had also informed Kuneralp that UNFICYP wished to remove the National Guard from the villages. Of course, he said, we did not know how future developments might emerge, and we therefore could not be certain how the Turkish Government would behave.
Ambassador Hart said there was a good deal of activity and meetings in Ankara. The heads of the Turkish military forces had been meeting that night, for example. He did expect, he said, certain precautionary moves. The Ambassador thought it rather unlikely that the Turks would take any “particular action” with matters quiet on the island. He reiterated that he did not now anticipate “forceful action” but quickly made clear that this estimate was good only as long as there was quiet and no further spread of fighting.
The Ambassador went on to mention that some 30 percent of the Turkish Cypriot population was in the Nicosia triangle and that an estimated 10,000 Turks were in the region affected by the fighting. Whether quiet would remain in that region was still a question, he admitted. He said that, sharing what he understood was also the US opinion, the Turks were firmly convinced that General Grivas was behind all the trouble. Cabinet meetings had taken place on this subject and he understood that the Cabinet Ministers and the service chiefs had held a joint meeting.
Mr. Rockwell at this juncture said he had just received a message from Athens (Athens 2148)2 concerning the GOG request to the GOC to withdraw the National Guard. He conveyed the substance of this message to the Ambassador. He reiterated that the point of his call was to register the real concern in the highest quarters in Washington over these developments. These quarters were gravely concerned that the interests of all parties were endangered. Ambassador Hart said that this message from Athens was most welcome and he thought it would assist him in his own efforts.
Note: The telephone call was made in the expectation (and hope) that the Turks would monitor it.