"When you listen to Ioannidis on the audio, saying let them take Kyrenia and then we'll see, whoever told me that, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't hear it."
With these words Alexis Papachelas concluded his revelations on the Alpha Cyprus show "Tet-a-Tet" with Tasos Tryfonos, in a riveting interview. As he reveals, this was preceded by a personal message from Edzevit to Ioannidis, via the American Ambassador in Athens and the CIA.
Shocking documents are published for the first time in the new book by journalist and Director of Kathimerini Ellada Alexis Papachelas "A dark room 1967-1974", which sheds light on unknown aspects of the betrayal.
The content of the transcribed dialogues from the crucial meeting of the war council at the Pentagon in Athens, immediately after the beginning of the Turkish invasion, is shocking for what took place during the controversial period that marked Cyprus.
Audio Documents
IOANNIDIS Brigadier General Commanding NSC: We know the solution, Prime Minister. They will come out in Kyrenia. What the Turks want, they do.
ANDROUTSOPOULOS Prime Minister: not if we stop them
IOANNIDES Brigadier General FSA Commander: but we will stop them afterwards. After they take the port, Kyrenia and join Nicosia, they will stop. We are sure of that.
As Mr Papachelas said, "it remains inexplicable to him why Makarios, who knew Ioannidis personally, took the great risk of sending the letter on the eve of the coup, in which he asked for all Greek officers to leave Cyprus."
As Mr Papachelas said, "it remains inexplicable to him why Makarios, who knew Ioannidis personally, took the great risk of sending the letter on the eve of the coup, in which he asked for all Greek officers to leave Cyprus.
The missed opportunities in the Cyprus problem
"If there was a hope apart from the Özal period to have an approach, a reasonable solution - if there is such a thing - it was in the first Erdogan period, because first of all he wanted to toothless the deep state and the army. That was his goal. So all those who wanted a crisis with Greece or to take the rest of Cyprus were against him at that time. Those issues were not on his radar. He didn't care about making a deal. And the main thing is that that was when he was playing the European card. So he wanted to play nice with Europe. So he also wanted to sell it to his people. So he had a combination that could lead somewhere good. I think there may have been a missed opportunity there," he said.
And he answered what he sees as the biggest missed opportunity on the Cyprus problem.
"For me the biggest missed opportunity is that period of 1975-77 with the Clifford plan, the Canadian plan, where essentially the Turks were reducing their share and we were going to go to a looser federation. Personally, I don't think there is a solution to the Cyprus problem any more, I think it's over now. The only solution would be a velvet divorce, which the Turks are not giving it now," he said.
About Tayyip Erdogan.
About Tayyip Erdogan, whom he interviewed more than eight times, he said that from the first to the last time he met him, the difference in his personality was obvious.
"It struck me that each time he moved away from his staff. That they saw him more and more as a sultan. The last time it was unbelievable," Papachelas said.
Asked what changed, Papachelas said "I think he obviously rode the rod, I have no doubt. You see the hubris of ancient tragedy unfolding before your eyes."
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
