Archive, 1974: Turkey invades Cyprus

Invading Turks claim capture of Nicosia

The Observer, 21 July 1974

Turkey invaded Cyprus yesterday, and seven hours later claimed to have captured the island’s capital Nicosia. But fierce battles were still raging in and around the city.

The invasion started at dawn. Waves of landing craft brought troops ashore at Snake Island Beach near the holiday resort of Kyrenia. At the same time, paratroopers were dropping into Turkish Cypriot areas on the island and aircraft were bombing Greek Cypriot installations. A second seaborne invasion force was reported to have landed later on the southern coast near Limassol.

Related: ‘Turkish troops fired on our hotel, the invasion had begun’: 50 years after Cyprus was torn apart

Turkish army officers said the two forces planned to push through the island to join up at Nicosia. As the invasion started, Nicosia Radio – controlled by the new government set up five days ago – ordered the mobilisation of all Greek Cypriot reservists. The radio said: ‘The Turks will not pass. The Greeks will fight to the last man.’

All Greek Cypriot prisoners were offered freedom if they would fight, and at least one pro- Makarios police commander was freed from jail so he could lead his unit against the Turks.

Doctors, nurses and other medical workers were told to go to work immediately – and there was an appeal for blood donors. Turkey’s prime minister Bulent Ecivit broadcast from Ankara: ‘Our troops are doing their best to spare civilians. We are not waging war – but peace.’ He added: ‘I appeal to all Greeks in Cyprus who have suffered the atrocities of terrorism and dictatorship to bury the inter-communal enmities and strife. Join hand in hand with your Turkish brothers to speed up this victory and, together build a new, free and happy Cyprus. We are there to help you; not to hurt you. We are there with love, not with hate.’

Six-thousand troops and 40 tanks were reported to have landed at Snake Island Beach under fire from the Greek National Guard. Turkish warships shelled Kyrenia harbour and jets strafed the guard’s garrison in Kyrenia Castle. After fierce fighting the Turks claimed that Kyrenia had fallen. During the battle, Turkish Cypriots occupying Hilarion Castle on the peaks above Kyrenia joined in shooting down on Greek Cypriot villages. The Turkish tanks then started their push through the mountains towards Nicosia. This area is held mainly by Turkish Cypriots and they met no opposition. But fierce fighting raged almost from the beginning of the invasion between the demarcation line which separates the Turkish and Cypriot areas in Nicosia.

Turkish jets swooped over the city bombing and strafing Greek positions. Nicosia airport was heavily bombed, and a senior United Nations officer reported that it had been put out of action.

48-hour countdown to war

By Patrick Keatley , diplomatic correspondent
22 July 1974

Greece and Turkey are this morning poised on the brink of all-out war. A 48-hour-ultimatum, which expires at noon tomorrow (Athens time, 11am BST) was conveyed yesterday to the Turkish prime minister, Mr Ecevit, by President Nixon’s special envoy, Mr Joseph Sisco. He was relaying the message, to the Turkish leaders, after intensive rounds of talks with the Greek leaders who have formulated the plan.

The only glimmer of hope in a darkening situation is that Mr Sisco seems to have succeeded, so far, in persuading the Greek President, General Gizikis , not to issue his ultimatum as a public statement.

But there is no doubting the seriousness of the Greek intentions, after the meeting of the cabinet in what is described as an “extraordinary session” to approve the strategy.

The Turks claimed last night to have sunk three Greek ships off Paphos on the west coast of Cyprus, but Athens denied that any of its ships had entered Cypriot waters. Both nations were moving up heavy forces of tanks, half-tracks, artillery and infantry and infantry to their 130-mile land frontier in Thrace.

Turkey also reported that Greek military aircraft were landing troops and equipment on the Greek island of Rhodes, 12 miles from the Turkish coast.
Continue reading

Editorial: fingers still on triggers

23 July 1974

The ceasefire had to come fast; and Dr Kissinger has duly obliged. A fresh triumph for Henry, according to President Nixon. A tour de force of telephonic virtuosity, according to awed state department officials. In fact, there is not much here to praise and much to blame . Turkey, as suspected, had launched only a relatively tiny invasion force. In spite of last minute attacks – and the tragedy of the Famagusta – they were basically eager to stop once their intervention had changed the terms of Cyprus diplomacy. It was Greece who had to be brought to heel. America did it in the end. But, then, America could always have done it – without any bloodshed– if Mr Nixon and Dr Kissinger, the Batman and Robin of international peacekeeping, had taken the crisis seriously enough last week.

Related: Glamour to ghost town: the fate of one Cypriot beach resort – in pictures

The United States made two mistakes. Perhaps blase about Turkish threats, it seemed to share Greece’s belief that Ankara could be bought off – until too late. And its Security Council trimming was based on expediency, on not admitting that Athens had blundered heinously over Cyprus, on preserving a sickly status quo without regard to treaties or simple morality. General Gizikis mounted a coup of unbelievable crudity, a desperate throw by a desperate man. He became, instantly, a liability to Nato and a stain on civilisation. There was no excuse for attempting to bolster him; and if he is tottering that is the fate of regimes which lose touch with reality.
Continue reading .