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CYPRUS TURKISH STRATEGIC RESEARCH CENTRE

11.07.2003

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE TURKISH ARMY LEAVES THE ISLAND?

The Greek Cypriot press has reported that following a meeting in Athens last week the Greek and Greek Cypriot Defence Ministers both stated that Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration would not bow to pressure from the U.S.A and that Greece would not withdraw the American make weapons she has secretly been supplying to the Greek Cypriot National Guard.

As it is known, last week  the U.S.A  requested Greece to withdraw all American make weapons that she sent to the Greek Cypriot Administration.

The story appearing in the Greek Cypriot press on this issue is as follows:

FILELEFTHEROS:  Under the heading, “Weapons Not Being Withdrawn, Response To U.S.A Pressure, The Withdrawal of American Make Weapons From The Greek Cypriot National Guard Cannot Be An Issue For Discussion, Mavronikolas and Papandoniu Reach Agreement On All Issues”, and according to sources from Athens it was reported that the Greek and Greek Cypriot governments intend to evaluate all possibilities and solid alternatives regarding the non-withdrawal of American make weapons in the hands of the Greek Cypriot National Guard.

The daily reported that according to information received from Athens, there are three different alternatives and the issue of withdrawing these weapons was not even an issue for discussion.

Stating that during their meetings, the Greek Cypriot Defence Minister Kiriakos Mavronikolas and the Greek National Defence Minister Yannos Papandoniu, also discussed the issue of further developing the Greek-Greek Cypriot Joint Defence Doctrine, the daily drew attention to remarks made by Papandoniu to the effect that: “Greece will take and continue to take all necessary measures for further strengthening Cyprus’ security within the framework of Greece’s Joint Defence Doctrine and this means a much stronger Greek Cypriot National Guard and the upkeep of this power”.

Responding to a question asked about “what the replacement for the American make weapons would be if they were withdrawn”, Papandoniu replied: “We are insistent on our stance about the existence of a strong Greek Cypriot National Guard.

Pointing out that defence ties between Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration were extremely strong and unbreakable, Papandoniu said, for years, “Cyprus’ defence” has been linked to Greece’s policy and that within the framework of the doctrine, which is still valid today, Greece’s stance “is to establish the security of the Cyprus Republic”.

The daily also added that Papandoniu had openly admitted that there was pressure from the U.S.A to withdraw all American make weapons in the hands of the Greek Cypriot National Guard and that “Greece was the guarantor of Cyprus’ security”. He also said that “in the international arena there was no agenda which could make Greece change her unchangeable stance.”

FILELEFTHEROS also stated that the Greek National Defence Minister also referred to a defence cooperation between the Greek and Greek Cypriot governments within the framework of the EU and the European Army.

According to news on this issue, Papandoniu stated that: “How ever much prestige the comprehensive EU defence organization has, this prestige will discourage all those people who are enemies of Hellenism”.

Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot Defence Minister, Kiriakos Mavronikolas, responding to a question asked “if the Andreas Papandreou Airbase in Paphos was abandoned” replied by saying that from an operational point of view the base was ready and it had been used on many occasions for various military exercises, but the carrying out of military exercises or the landing of war planes on this base depended on the political developments taking place on the Cyprus issue.

Asked “if the Greek Cypriot National Guard’s annual Nikiforos military exercise would be carried out this year or not”, Mavronikolas, pointing out that this issue had been discussed with his Greek counterparts said: “Any military exercise must be within the appropriate measures and dimensions of the political developments”.

Defending that for 10-years Greece has been “making substantial contributions to defending Cyprus and that the existence of the Greek Cypriot National Gurard was a discouraging force against the presence of the Turkish army”, the Greek Cypriot minister alleged  that Greece’s joint defence doctrine was contributing greatly to the European Army.