Who first initiated
the Arms
Embargo
against the Republic of Cyprus?
By Fanoulla Argyrou
Researcher/Journalist/Author – London UK
27.6.2018
H.R. 5508 which was introduced recently in
Washington aiming at terminating the Cyprus Arms Embargo Act which was imposed
by the United States of America upon the Republic of Cyprus in 1987, is a
worthwhile effort by all that has worked for its preparation. It can even be
argued as belated, but it is never too late.
When in 1987 the USA imposed the Embargo,
it is claimed that it was done “in order to encourage reunification by
preventing an arms race on the island”.
And that this did not only aim at the Republic of Cyprus but also
Turkey.
This claim proved a utopia and worked in
favor of Turkey. Turkey did not withdraw to this day any of her Turkish
military forces of occupation on the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus
which she has there since the two Turkish invasions of 1974 and before (illicit
transportation of arms and personnel to the Turks in Cyprus –to which all had
turned a blind eye- started from before, and numerous British released official
documents with photographs confirm this). On the contrary, during all these
years Turkey went on adding new arms and armored cars whilst the Republic of
Cyprus lacked weapons as many countries refused to sell her any.
However, the Arms Embargo against the
Republic of Cyprus was initiated by the United Kingdom and this not annoys the
Turks. In this context and with various
excuses the United Kingdom discretely and diplomatically persuaded other
countries as well, which were prepared to adhere to her suggestions, and
refused to sell arms to the Republic of Cyprus.
October 1982
The first big National Guard parade since
1973 in the Republic of Cyprus took place on 1st October 1982, when the British
confirmed the armament the RoC had secured from Brazil and kept numerous
photographs of the parade, which have been released and can be seen in their
archives.
During the same month (October 1982)
ministers in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office refused an application
by British company Avias Ltd to sell Stormer armored personnel carriers to
Cyprus.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office viewed
the sale of defense armament to the Republic of Cyprus as a sensitive matter.
Their general policy was not to sell any arms to the National Guard and to
permit only the sale of some spare parts.
They did not want the defense capability of the National Guard to be
increased “although the power balance in their favor will not change since the
Turkish forces are by far superior to theirs in numbers as well as armored
cars. Such sales from British companies to the Greek Cypriots will result in
strong criticism from the Turks as well as the Turkish Cypriots and will damage
our relations with them…” was the thinking behind the refusal as per their
released documents. (Coverage of released
documents by the writer in Simerini newspaper in Cyprus 1.5.2014).
The First country to impose this Embargo,
therefore, was the United Kingdom
In February 1983 the Cyprus Government
applied to another British Company for the purchase of armored cars for the
National Guard. And although the British High Commission in Nicosia had
informed London that Cyprus had already purchased at least 50 armored cars from
Brazil (Cascavel) and which took part in
the parade on 1st October 1982, with more due to be delivered, the Foreign
Office did not permit the sale of British manufactured armored cars.
In August 1983 the Cyprus Government
applied to another British Company, Miltrain Limited, asking for advisory
services related to the military training of the National Guard. The Company (as is the practice) applied in
turn to the Foreign Office for the relevant political clearance. The British
Government through the then Minister in the Foreign Office Baroness Young, on
the 8 August 1983, refused the application with the excuse that “ the situation
on the island was very sensitive for them (British) to be involved with
something like this”. (Baroness Young died in September 2002).
In December 1983 Westland Helicopters Ltd
also applied to the Foreign Office for political clearance to sell Westland
helicopters to the Cyprus Government.
The latter intended them for use by the Cyprus Police. Once again the Foreign Office turned down the
application for political reasons.
This decision was based on a previous one
taken in April 1982 when the Republic of Cyprus had again applied for purchase
of helicopters from the same company that time for use by the National Guard.
The excuse of the Foreign Office was that
following the unilateral declaration of independence by Denktash, they were
from one hand asking the Turks for a move of goodwill by reducing their
military forces and from the other, they were trying to discourage the Greeks
from increasing their military on the island. In such a case they wrote, “there
is a serious danger for us to undermine our own position if Westland secures
the sale…”
These are just a few examples of the
British position vis-à-vis the Republic of Cyprus on this matter and which
influenced, discreetly, other countries as well…
SOURCE: Free
translation of article by the writer in Greek «Από πού ξεκίνησε το εμπάργκο όπλων που επιβλήθηκε στην Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία», first published by ONISILOS, 20.6.2018
To Support the H.R. 5508 the bill which
aims to End the Cyprus Arms Embargo Act Contact American Hellenic Council
Executive Director Ioannis Fidanakis or follow the link.
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
The Cyprus Action Network of America
(CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit movement created to support genuine
self-determination and human rights for the people of Cyprus. To be added to
CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce CANA to a friend
or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail address, with the
subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to nikolaostaneris@yahoo.com
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