Cypriots Arming Against Turkey

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30445, 20 May 1964, Page 17

Cypriots Arming Against Turkey

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyrioht) NICOSIA, May 19. The Cyprus Government is negotiating with “various countries” for the purchase of bombers and fighter aircraft, torpedo-boats, anti-aircraft guns and other heavy armaments, the Cyprus News Agency reports.

The negotiations are among “necessary preparations to face possible Turkish aggression.”

The “basic step in this direction is an increase in the strength of the armed forces, and legislation will soon be enacted providing for military service in five age groups.” The agency said the re-cently-appointed commander of the Cyprus National Guard, the retired Greek army general, Georghios Karayannis, is touring National Guard training camps and studying defence requirements. Mr Galo Plaza, the special representative in Cyprus of U Thant, the U.N. SecretaryGeneral, will meet President Makarios today to discuss a Cypriot Government announcement that it is seeking arms from foreign countries.

Diplomats in Nicosia view the announcements as a slap in the face of the U.N. peacekeeping operation, particularly in view of U Thant’s insistence that peace in Cyprus can be achieved only after all illegally-armed forces have been disarmed. Mr Plaza will fly to New

York tomorrow for talks with U Thant. It is feared in Nicosia that the arms announcement might provoke drastic action from Turkey, who has been threatening military intervention in Cyprus in order to defend the interests of Turkish Cypriots.

Relations between the U.N. and President Makarios were poor even before the announcement because of the seizure of Turkish Cypriots as hostages in Famagusta. Greek Cypriots confirmed last night that 10 Turkish Cypriots were seized at Nicosia airport on May 14. The Greek Cypriots said they had been seized on charges of plotting subversive activities, but a U.N. spokesman said they were considered to be hostages. The U.N. said on Sunday that it expected all hostages —now numbering 43—to be released before the departure of Mr Plaza to New York.

It is not clear what action the U.N. will take if the hostages are not released, but it is certain to wreck relations between President Makarios and General Gyani, and reinforce the U.N. view that President Makarios is unable to control Greek Cypriot extremist elements.