Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XVI, Cyprus; Greece; Turkey

351. Telegram From the Embassy in Cyprus to the Department of State ¹

Nicosia, December 30, 1967, 0940Z.

1056. Subject: Turk Cypriot Provisional Administration.²

1. Acting FonMin Araouzos called me to Ministry half hour ago as first of Chiefs of Mission all of whom he will see today. Subject, as we expected, was government decision to consider further visits by Chiefs of Mission to officials of new “Administration” as recognition of “flagrantly unlawful act” by Turk Cypriots. Araouzos said that GOC “cannot agree to any visits by Chiefs of Mission to officials of the new executive council.” If the GOC were to give assent to “official visits” this would merely encourage Turks to take further steps of separative nature. He said that in past visits by Ambassadors and Charges to Kuchuk and other “officials” had been considered for convenience as merely visits to leaders of Turk Cypriot community. The GOC could no longer maintain this fiction and therefore could not agree to any further visits. There could only be one government in Cyprus and that government could not condone recognition of the “new Turk Cypriot Administration.”

2. In response my question Araouzos said that this rule did not apply to members of the staff of the Embassy. I remarked that I thought this was essential since I believed in the past our contacts with Turk Cypriot community had been of value in defusing various incidents and in general reducing tension.

3. Araouzos said somewhat apologetically that he recognized this action by the GOC would present us with certain difficulties but that the decision had been taken with the feeling that they had no choice. Speaking personally and without instructions I offered the opinion that this action might prove to be ill-advised in that it gave unwarranted recognition to an action which I and my government did not consider very much more than a mere institutionalizing of a situation that had existed de facto for some time. This was in fact a recognition of the existence of a separate entity in the Turkish Cypriot sector and in that respect at least the action in a sense strengthened the Turkish position. In accordance State 91488,³ I expressed our view that timing of Turk Cypriot move regrettable in view of hoped-for implementation of pacification program which had now been postponed. I said that for once I agreed with Communist newspapers this morning which had urged government to proceed with normalization despite Turk action. I hoped that now that government had apparently reached decision that normalization in its best interests it would not allow this unfortunate event to interfere with implementation of program.

4. I closed our conversation with statement that I would report GOC decision to my government and would presumably receive instructions.

5. Comment: Have just talked to UK HICOMer who followed me to FonMinistry. Costar said he had same record played to him and was requesting instructions from his government. Of course this poses greater problem to Brits in view their status Guarantor Power. Nevertheless, Costar agrees with me that there would appear to be little choice but to acquiesce in GOC ruling. He, however, is not offering opinion to London and will merely await their decision. He reminded me that we will have to face problem Jan. 1 when Kuchuk gives his traditional Bayram “at home.” Members of corps have in past paid their respects and as matter of fact, I have traditionally gone to sign his book on New Year’s day after calling on Archbishop. Under circumstances I consider it inadvisable to make calls this year and DCM will sub for me.⁴

Belcher

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 18 CYP. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated to Ankara, Athens, London, USUN, and the Mission to NATO.
2. In telegram 1052 from Nicosia, the Embassy reported on the organization of the “Turkish Cypriot Provisional Administration” and the issuance of regulations by that organization. (Ibid.)
3. Telegram 91488, December 20, commented on the impact of the creation of the Turkish Cypriot Provisional Administration. (Ibid., POL 27 CYP)
4. In telegram 91621, December 30, the Department of State expressed its concern over the latest examples of intercommunal tensions and instructed the Ambassador to seek a reversal of the Cypriot Government’s ban on Ambassadorial contacts. (Ibid., POL 18 CYP) In telegram 91622, December 30, the Department of State reported that it had also conveyed its concerns to the Cypriot Charge with a request for the lifting of the ban. (Ibid.)