Office of the Historian

35. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cyprus1

Washington, March 18, 1977, 0050Z

60063. Subject: Letter to President Makarios From President Carter.

Please deliver following letter, dated March 16, from President to President Makarios. Signed original has been pouched.

Begin text. Your Beatitude: While I know that Secretary Clifford has already expressed his thanks for your cordial reception during his visit to Nicosia, I wanted to write to you to add my personal appreciation for the courtesy and openness with which you received my special representative and his party. I would like particularly to thank you for your very kind personal regards which Secretary Clifford conveyed to me.

The time you devoted to Secretary Clifford, the warm personal relationship which you and he developed, and the excellent hospitality which you extended greatly assisted in his mission. Secretary Clifford has reported to me at length on his extensive discussions with you2 and this, in turn, has led to our greater understanding of the Cyprus problem.

Your willingness to begin sustained and concrete negotiations is vitally important. I was particularly grateful to learn from Secretary Clifford that specific, substantive proposals will be put on the table in Vienna later this month. It is the sincere hope of the United States that through discussion of such concrete ideas the way will be opened to real progress toward the Cyprus settlement we all desire. While we continue to support fully the role of United Nations Secretary General Waldheim, my administration will spare no effort to make any contribution we can to assist with the Cyprus intercommunal talks. It is my earnest hope that through the efforts of all interested parties, 1977 will prove to be the year a just Cyprus settlement becomes a reality. Sincerely, Jimmy Carter.

End text.

Christopher
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770092–0611. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Ewing from text received from the White House; cleared by Hopper, Ledsky, and Leo Reddy (S/S); approved by Barbour. Sent for information Priority to Ankara and Athens.↩
  2. See Document 10.↩