Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXI, Cyprus; Turkey; Greece

76. Memorandum From Paul B. Henze of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron)¹

Washington, April 8, 1980

SUBJECT

• Cyprus Talks

Cyprus talks remain stuck on dead center, with Waldheim trying to get them started again. Basically everybody is merely talking about talking—and there is not even much of that going on. Neither Greek nor Turkish Cypriots has made the slightest move that would get talks between them going again and there is no solid reason to believe that either side really wants talks—public positions notwithstanding. Neither Ankara nor Athens has attempted to play a significant role in this process in recent months nor is there much likelihood that they will in the coming months, since both are preoccupied with issues of much greater importance. Cyprus is no longer a burning domestic issue in either Greece or Turkey.

Waldheim has made a meticulous report to the General Assembly of the efforts he has made to get talks going.² The President of the General Assembly has not yet officially reacted.

We are well on the sidelines in this process—and should stay there—keeping the monkey on Waldheim’s back.

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 17, Cyprus: 1/77–1/81. Confidential.
2. Waldheim submitted the report to the General Assembly on April 2. The report noted that irreconcilable differences between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot representatives had prevented progress along the lines of the ten-point agreement of May 19, 1979 (see Document 67). In the report, Waldheim called for leaders from each community to reaffirm the validity of the ten-point agreement as a starting point to restart talks. (Yearbook of the United Nations, 1980, pp. 449–451)