Greece in battle stance

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33611, 13 August 1974, Page 1

Greece in battle stance

<5 Z.P.A -Reuter—CopvrijhtJ ATHENS. Xugust 12. Greece is on a war footing today with tanks concentrating along the border with Turkey in northern < ireece and on Greek islands close to the Turkish coast.

As tension between the two countries over Cyprus continues, about 100 tanks, armoured cars and trucks carrying marine units were shipped last night to islands in the. Aegean. More tanks left Athens today. The decision to send reinforcements to key areas was made yesterday at a meeting of the military council — described by some observers as a war council — headed by President Phaedon Gizikis. All leave was cancelled as the armed forces were put into a full state of preparedness.

The council meets again today. While officials in Athens admitted that some progress had been made at the Geneva talks, an authoritative source said that Greece was strengthening its military position as a defensive measure in case the talks broke down. Greece’s war preparations are seen as part of efforts to force a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem The Greek Prime Minister (Mr Karamanlis) and the De fence Minister (Mr AveroffTositsas) attended yesterday's militarv council meeting and the meeting today will discuss plans drawn up at the request of Mr Karamanlis. An authoritative source said that Greece was continu ing efforts at the Geneva talks to find a solution to the Cyprus crisis and officials said they were now more optimistic about a successful outcome. The Greek Government wanted a Turkish response to the good-will move announced yesterday by the Cyprus Government to withdraw the Greek-Cypriot National Guard from Turkish enclaves on the island, the officials said. In Geneva, the British, Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers put off a meeting of the peace conference this morning so they could hold private and bilateral discussions, British officials said. The British Foreign Secretary (Mr Callaghan) will later today have separate talks with the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey, Mr Mavros, and Mr Gunes, the officials said. The Cyprus President (Mr Clerides) and the TurkishCypriot leader (Mr Denktash) will join the three Foreign Ministers shortly after they begin their postponed meeting later today.