361. Memorandum From Harold Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1
SUBJECT
- The Cyprus Situation
Early last month we reported that intercommunal tension between Greek and Turk Cypriots had been mounting, primarily because of recent hardening in the Cypriot governmentʼs attitude toward the Turks. Our Embassy in Nicosia continues to report that Makarios is assuming a “steadily more defiant attitude.” In a recent speech, the Archbishop—who has hitherto refrained from acknowledging deadlock in the talks—openly blamed Turkish intransigence for the stalemated talks, asserted that he had reached the limit of his concessions to the Turkish Cypriots and claimed that, on no account, would he accept a solution imposed from the outside.
Two explanations have been suggested:
- 1.
- Ambassador Popper feels that Makarios may have simply concluded that the Turk position is at a disadvantage and that the governments of Greece and Turkey are too preoccupied with domestic matters to bother about Cyprus. Additionally, the Archbishop may feel bolstered by whatever international recognition and acceptance he earned as a result of his high-level contacts during his recent travel abroad.
- 2.
- An alternative explanation is that Makarios is simply taking a hard line to deflect right-wing enosists during the trial of those associated with the assassination attempt on him last summer.
On the Turk Cypriot side, their gloom and frustration has been increased by the governmentʼs apparent harder stand, a situation which could erupt into some more violent measures on their part. They continue to believe that little progress is in store for them as long as Makarios—whom they believe wants to retain the status quo—is on the scene.
Operationally, this problem resolves itself into the fact that the issue will be discussed on the sidelines at the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels with an eye to urging the Greeks and Turks both to try to help keep the lid on with their respective clients. The British have [Page 886] told us that they will press discussion of the subject with Turk Foreign Minister Caglayangil at the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, and Secretary Rogers will speak to both Caglayangil and Palamas.2 However, both U.S. and UK agree these approaches should be low-key.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 592, Country Files—Middle East, Cyprus, Vol. I Jan 1969–June 30, 1974. Top Secret; Sensitive; Contains Codeword. Kissinger initialed the memorandum, indicating that he had seen it.↩
- The meeting took place December 2–5 in Brussels. No record of bilateral discussions of Cyprus was found.↩