June 1980 to June 1981

Two days of intensive shuttle diplomacy by Dr Waldheim's special representative, Sr Perez de Cuellar, failed to reconvene the intercommunal talks in Nicosia. According to reports reaching London, Sr Perez de Cuellar reached substantial agreement on a statement representing UN views on common ground between the two sides with both Mr Denktash and President Kyprianou. However, the inclusion of an additional paragraph intended to reassure the Greek Cypriot side that they would be able to discuss the contents of the statement at the negotiating table proved unacceptable to Mr Denktash.  

The human rights organisation Amnesty International accused Turkish police and martial law administrators of conducting widespread and systematic torture. The allegations were based on the report of a research mission which visited Turkey during May.

Turkish forces began air and sea manoeuvres in the Aegean area, taking in districts regarded as Greek territory in Athens.

The Sunday Times reported that the Turkish Cypriot authorities were prepared to rent abandoned Greek Cypriot homes to foreigners willing to restore them.

Responding to a statement by Mr Denktash in Libya, President Kyprianou said that he was prepared to meet the Turkish Cypriot leader in an effort to remove obstacles to the resumption of intercommunal talks, provided such a meeting was held within the framework of the 19 May 1979 agreement.

NATO secretary-general Joseph Luns urged western governments to increase military and economic aid to Turkey at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Ankara. At the same meeting, Greek foreign minister Mitsotakis held discussions on Graeco-Turkish relations with his Turkish opposite number, Mr Erkmen, and with US Secretary of State Muskie.

In Turkey, Mr Demirel announced that his government was postponing its application for full membership of the EEC until later in 1980. This move was generally interpreted as an attempt to gain National Salvation Party support essential if the government were to survive a crucial confidence motion the following week.

After prolonged negotiations, Turkey and the EEC reached agreement on new terms for their association agreement. The terms included £366m in aid and the staged removal of tariff barriers.

In Turkey, Mr Demirel's Justice Party government survived a censure motion in parliament by 227 votes to 214, thanks to the support of the National Salvation Party which had been engaged in unsuccessful coalition negotiations with Mr Ecevit's Republican People's Party until only hours before the vote.

In Cyprus, the House of Representatives voted by 19 votes to 0, with 5 abstentions, in favour of steps being taken for the return of Nicos Sampson and for the trial of individuals implicated in the Sampson coup.

Mr Demirel announced that he would not consult the Soviet Union about possible US surveillance flights based in Turkey.

Turkish troops moved into the Black Sea port of Fatsa to break up what the government described as an extremist left-wing commune. Mr Ecevit claimed the move was intended to distract attention from serious violence in Corum.  

Acting Turkish President Caglayangil ended a series of meetings with politicians designed to bring the deadlock over the election of a new president to an end. He said that he saw a possibility of rapprochement between the Justice Party and the Republican People's Party.

Turkish Airlines resumed flights to Greece using Aegean airlanes closed in 1974, in line with an agreement reached in February.

The Libyan foreign minister Mr Turayki announced in Cyprus that President Kyprianou and Mr Denktash had agreed to meet in Libya if such a meeting would help to make progress towards a settlement easier.

The former premier of Turkey, Nihat Erim was assassinated in Istanbul, as political violence throughout the country continued to escalate. The leftist Dev-Sol group claimed responsibility.

Mr derides urged Mr Kyprianou to resign as President of Cyprus because, he said, he had lost the confidence of the people, including AKEL (which had withdrawn its support from the president on 27 May).

Turkish Chief of Staff General Evren told troops in Kayseri that 'the armed forces will not allow Turkey to be trampled under foot by those who want to split the country and demolish the state'.

OECD governments and international agencies reached agreement with Turkey on the rescheduling of £3bn. of official debts.. Meanwhile, the assassination of metalworkers' leader Kemal Turkler led to a wave of strikes in Turkey.

The Cyprus government complained to Dr Waldheim that inflammatory statements by Mr Denktash and the former Turkish Foreign Minister Mr Gunes were creating insurmountable obstacles to the renewal of intercommunal talks. Mr Denktash responded in similar kind three days later.  

In Turkey, the Republican People's Party accused Mr Demirel of seeking to draw the army into politics through a statement on counter insurgency measures.  

After intensive diplomatic efforts by Dr Waldheim's special representative Sr Gobbi, both sides agreed to resume the intercommunal talks in Cyprus.

The first meeting of the renewed intercommunal talks was held in Nicosia under the chairmanship of Sr Gobbi, who read a statement describing Dr Waldheim's 'understanding of the common ground' worked out in recent months. The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot interlocutors were Mr George loannides and Mr Umit Onan.  

The Turkish parliament approved a two-month extension of martial law in 20 of the country's 67 provinces.

During a visit to Cyprus, EEC Commission President Gaston Thorn expressed the readiness of the Community to assist the process of the intercommunal talks and his hope for an improved association agreement with Cyprus.

President Kyprianou announced a major reshuffle to the Cyprus cabinet.  

The Turkish army, led by Chief of Staff General Evren, staged a successful coup d'etat against the government of Mr Demirel, in the wake of several years of widespread political violence. Mr Demirel, Mr Ecevit and National Salvation Party leader Mr Erbakan were detained; National Action Party leader Col. Turkes surrendered himself to the military authorities the following day. Gen. Evren said that the new government would introduce constitutional, economic and political reforms, and would maintain Turkey's international alliances and obligations.  

Gen. Evren told a press conference that the restoration of civilian government in Turkey would follow the establishment of a new constitutional structure, but refused to give a timetable. Meanwhile, troops continued mass arrests of left- and right-wing activists throughout Turkey.  

The Turkish National Security Council appointed retired admiral Bulent Ulusu prime minister and liter Turkmen foreign minister. Martial law provisions were extended to increase control of the press, strikes and demonstrations.

British prime minister Margaret Thatcher visited Greece. She held talks with the Greek government on the EEC, NATO, the Middle East, Afghanistan and Cyprus.

Fehmi Isiklar, the secretary-general of the left-wing trade union federation DISK, was arrested in Istanbul.

Former education minister Chrysostomos Sofianos announced the formation of a new political party, the Pancyprian Renewal Front, in Cyprus.

The Turkish Cypriot opposition leaders Mr Durduran and Mr Ozgur returned to Cyprus from Sofia where they had met AKEL leaders during a meeting of the 'World Parliament' and issued with them a joint communique expressing a desire for the communities in Cyprus to work together and for the demilitarisation of the island. Their visit was strongly attacked by Mr Denktash.

The Greek foreign minister Mr Mitsotakis told the Washington Post that Greece would withdraw from NATO if the country's return to the alliance's military wing could not be arranged in the next few months.

A joint meeting of the Greek and Turkish Communist Parties condemned the coup in Turkey and NATO, urged NATO not to interfere in Cyprus and called for an international conference on Cyprus under UN auspices.

Greek and Turkish foreign ministers Mr Mitsotakis and Mr Turkmen met in New York to discuss Graeco-Turkish relations.

Turkey's National Security Council an­nounced that National Salvation Party and National Action Party leaders Mr Erbakan and Mr Turkes would be tried by military courts for crimes against the state. Former prime ministers Mr Demirel and Mr Ecevit were, meanwhile, released from detention.

The president of the Cyprus House of Representatives, Alecos Michaelides, resigned from President Kyprianou's Democratic Party because of dissatisfaction with the relationship between party and government. He announced the formation of a new party, the New Democratic Camp.

Greece and Turkey reached agreement on the reintegration of Greece into the military wing of NATO. The agreement, which allowed for the subsequent reconsideration of the military command structure in the Aegean, followed shortly after Greece had threatened to withdraw from NATO altogether if reintegration did not happen soon. It was met with demonstrations in Greece, where a recent opinion poll had indicated a majority against, but was approved by NATO on the 20th.

Mr Rallis' government in Greece won a vote of confidence on the NATO question in parliament by 182 votes to 20. Mr Papandreou's PASOK party withdraw from the Chamber.

Greek and US officials opened discussions on a new defence co-operation agreement covering, inter alia, the American bases in Greece.

In Turkey, Mr Ecevit resigned as leader of the Republican People's Party.

The Turkish government suspended publication of the left-wing newspaper Cumhuriyet until 20 November.

Veteran politician Mr George Mavros announced the formation of a new Centre Party in Greece.

In Turkey, the Nationalist Action Party leader Mr Turkes went on trial charged with insulting the government at a press conference in 1978.

On a visit to London, PASOK leader Mr Papandreou met with Lord Carrington to discuss various issues including NATO, the EEC and Cyprus.

The Greek government proposed to Turkey that the countries' dispute over the Aegean continental shelf be frozen pending the conclusion of the international conference on the law of the sea.

The Greek and Turkish foreign ministers met at a NATO meeting in Brussels, and agreed that it would be useful to intensify contacts in the future.

Cyprus foreign minister Mr Nicos Rolandis visited New York for talks with UN Secretary-General Dr Waldheim. For the first time since 1974, the Cyprus problem had not been discussed at the United Nations General Assembly in 1980.

The Turkish consul-general in Sydney was assassinated. An Armenian group claimed responsibility.

Military authorities in Turkey began interrogations of some 2000 members of the left-wing trades union federation DISK about allegations that they had planned to establish a communist state.

Two department stores in Athens were destroyed in arson attacks for which responsibility was claimed by the obscure October '80 Revolutionary Organisation.

On a visit to London, President Kyprianou held talks with Mrs Thatcher and Mr Foot.

The Turkish Cypriot Populist Party merged with Mr. Konuk's Democratic People's Party, giving the latter a total of six assembly seats.

Greece became the tenth member country of the European Economic Community, only days after reaching final agreement on implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy.

According to the International Herald Tribune, Turkish military authorities announced that some 30,000 suspected terrorists were arrested in Turkey between 12 Sept. and 10 Dec. 1980. At the same time, there had been a dramatic decline in the number of terrorist attacks.

The governor of the central bank of Turkey, Mr Aydinoglu, was dismissed apparently because of his disagreement with aspects of the financial policy of the deputy premier Mr Ozal.

The Greek government protested to the outgoing Carter administration in the United States that its new military aid proposals ($260m to Athens, $400m to Ankara together with $300m in economic aid) failed to maintain the 7:10 ratio which Athens considered essential to sustain the regional balance of power.

The editor and deputy editor of the leading Turkish daily Hurriyet were arrested by the Istanbul martial law command after publishing speculations on imminent price rises in state-controlled sectors of the economy.  

General Evren announced that a constituent assembly would be established in Turkey in the autumn, to draft a new constitution for the country. No former politicians would be eligible for the assembly, and General Evren hinted that they might also be banned from politics in the longer term.  

Mr Tassos Papadopoulos formed a new political party in Cyprus, the Centre Union.

Middle East Economic Digest  reported that Raif Denktash, rebel son of Mr Denktash, had called on Mr Cagatay's administration in the north of Cyprus to resign and make way for a caretaker administration until elections were held in June.

The United States and Turkey published the text of an agreement on American financial and military aid to Turkey, including the local production of military equipment.

The death of Queen Frederika, former queen-mother of Greece, led to intense debate on the government's decision to allow her to be buried in Greece. About 1000 royalists demonstrated in favour of ex-king Constantine at her funeral on 12 February.

Relatives of Ahmet Isvan, a close associate of Mr Ecevit, claimed that Mr. Isvan had been tortured in detention in Turkey. The allegations coincided with other similar accusations, related particularly to officials of the left-wing DISK trade union movement. The Turkish government replied that it was doing all in its power to prevent any torture of detainees.

The Cyprus government invoked emergency regulations to prevent a strike by electrical workers. The dispute came at a time of considerable industrial unrest among public sector employees.

The budget prepared by the finance minister Mr Afxentiou secured approval in the Cyprus House of Representatives amid severe criticism of the government's handling of the economy, particularly energy and inflation, by the all-party finance and budget committee.

The meeting of non-aligned foreign ministers in New Delhi confirmed the non-aligned conference's policy of support for the sovereignty, independence, unity and non-alignment of Cyprus. The resolution was subsequently rejected by Mr Denktash.

Speaking at a party rally in Paphos, Mr derides called for the resignation of President Kyprianou's government because of what he described as its failures in the management of the national issue and the economy.

The Greek foreign minister Mr Mitsotakis protested to the United States about unauthorised US military activity in Drama. This activity revealed the existence of a further US base in Greece which till then had not been publicly known.  

Major-General Guenther Greindl of Austria arrived in Cyprus to take command of the United Nations forces in succession to Major-General Quinn.

Middle East Economic Digest reported that Turkish citizens wishing to visit the north of Cyprus would in future need special permits. The move was interpreted as an attempt to prevent political refugees seeking sanctuary in the island.

An armed attack by Armenian terrorists on two Turkish diplomats in Paris led to a serious deterioration in relations between Turkey and France.

Greece lifted a number of restrictions on Turkish use of airspace in the Aegean area. The move was interpreted as a gesture of good­will for a final settlement of the Graeco-Turkish airspace dispute.

Sr Gobbi, the UN special representative in Cyprus, expressed disappointment with the lack of progress being made in the inter­communal talks and suggested that a recess during the forthcoming election period would not be harmful.  

The Cyprus government denied rumours that a cabinet reshuffle would be held after the elections in order to accommodate AKEL.

At the end of four days of meetings in Ankara, Greek and Turkish foreign ministry officials issued a joint communique indicating further -if minor - progress in the settlement of the two countries' Aegean disputes.

After two meetings arranged through the auspices of Sr Gobbi, the Greek Cypriot missing persons committee and Mr Denktash agreed to the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the fate of Cypriot missing persons. The committee would consist of three members, two representing their communities, the third an official of the International Red Cross acting as chairman on

behalf of the UN. Any decisions taken by the committee would have to be unanimous. The agreement, which was officially announced by the UN on 22 April, was widely welcomed abroad.

George loannides, the Greek Cypriot inter­locutor in the intercommunal talks, called for the formation of a government of national unity. The suggestion was repudiated by President Kyprianou.

Mr Denktash said that it would be 'difficult' for the Turkish Cypriot negotiator at the inter­communal talks to present territorial proposals unless the Greek Cypriot side recognised the Turkish Cypriots' position as equal partners in the state, regardless of population proportions.

Turkish foreign minister Mr Turkmen met US Secretary of State Haig at the beginning of a lengthy visit to America. He later said that the Reagan administration did not link its policy towards Turkey with progress towards the restoration of democracy or in the Cyprus context.

Meanwhile in Cyprus, the main Turkish Cypriot opposition party, the Communal Liberation Party, announced that Mr Ziya Rizki would stand against Mr Denktash in the forthcoming election.  

The UN representative, Dr Gobbi, announced in Nicosia that the inter-communal talks would be slowed down until after the forthcoming elections had been held on both sides. Four meetings only would be held in the next three months, and normal weekly meetings resumed in July.

Cyprus foreign minister Nicos Rolandis held talks with the president of the EEC Commission, Gaston Thorn, about the association agreement between Cyprus and the EEC. Afterwards, Mr Thorn said that he would seek a mandate from the Council of Ministers to open negotiations moving towards the long-deferred second stage of the agreement.

A delegation from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions arrived in Turkey to investigate conditions there. It subsequently criticised restrictions on trade union freedoms, called for the restoration of some union activity, and expressed the view that torture was neither systematic nor encouraged by the authorities.

Returning from talks with Turkish leaders in Ankara, the four main Turkish Cypriot party leaders expressed confidence that the Turkish government would respect the democratic process in the north of Cyprus.

Mr Denktash announced that he would issue title deeds to Turkish Cypriots for Green Cypriot property in the north of Cyprus if he were successful in the forthcoming elections.

At the end of an emergency debate the European Parliament called on the Council of Ministers of the EEC to suspend the association agreement with Turkey if democracy were not restored there within two months. The Parliament subsequently sent a delegation - boycotted by the Socialist and Communist groups - to Turkey to investigate conditions further.

447 members of the Kurdish Worker's Party were put on trial before a martial law tribunal in Turkey.

The selection of candidates for the forthcoming elections caused some dissension within the ranks of Mr Denktash's National Unity Party. His son Raif, who was not re-selected, threatened to form a Kemalist Revolutionary Party, and several candidates reportedly threatened to withdraw from the campaign, but by the end of the month Mr Denktash seemed to have the situation under control.

Some 5000 Armenians stormed the Turkish embassy in Teheran but were beaten back by Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

In Turkey, National Salvation Party leader Necmettin Erbakan went on trial charged with attempting to subvert the secular constitution and establish an Islamic state.

Sir lan Gilmour began a four-day visit to Turkey for talks on bilateral relations, the EEC and other subjects.

There were major clashes between Turkish immigrant workers supporting and opposing the Evren regime in West Berlin. Over 20,000 people were said to be involved.  

The trial of Colonel Turkes, leader of the Nationalist Action Party, for ordering two politicial murders, was announced in Turkey. He is also accused of attempting to overthrow the constitution by force.

In Rome, a right-wing Turk believed to have connections with Col. Turkes' movement and wanted in Turkey after escaping from imprisonment in connection with the murder of the editor of Milliyet, was held after an attempted assassination of the Pope. The return of the man, Mehmet Ali Agca' to Turkey had long been sought by the Turkish authorities.  

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly voted by 51 votes to 48 to stop Turkish parliamentarians attending meetings as the country no longer had a national parliament. It also called for the suppression of torture in Turkey.

The Greek Opposition leader Mr Andreas Papandreou urged the Greek government of Mr Rallis to break off the current Graeco-Turkish dialogue, close the American bases in Greece and threaten to withdraw from NATO if the alliance did not stop supporting Turkey's claims in the Aegean.

Negotiations opened in London between the British and Cyprus governements on the latter's claim for £183m in aid as compensation for Britain's use of the sovereign bases at Dhekelia and Akrotiri. The claim, which the British Foreign Office rejects, is based upon arrangements entered into in 1960 but not reconsidered subsequently, every five years, as had been agreed.

The 100th anniversary of the birth of Kemal Ataturk was celebrated in Turkey and by Turks throughout the world. General Evren took the opportunity to call on Turkey's young to fight against terrorism alongside the military government.  

Elections for the House of Representatives were held in Cyprus. Under the country's proportional representation system, AKEL and Mr derides' Democratic Rally each won 12 seats, President Kyprianou's Democratic Party 8 and EDEK 3. The results are analysed in the major article of this issue.

A  report by Cal McCrystal in the Sunday Times suggested that there was a secret western plan for a settlement of the Cyprus problem. The plan, he said, included a Turkish Cypriot area of 28% of the island, the relocation of 75% of refugees, and the establishment of a NATO base in the Karpas peninsula. The existence of such a plan was denied by the Cyprus government and by Mr Denktash as well as by western sources.  

The hijacking of a Turkish airliner to Bulgaria by members of the Dev-Sol revolutionary group ended when the hijackers were over­powered. They had sought the release of 47 political prisoners and £250,000.  

Mr Denktash's administration awarded wage increases of 28-40% to public sector employees in the north of Cyprus. The agreement, with the Turk-sen union federation, was backdated to 1 March.  

A bomb explosion destroyed the car of Alecos Constantinides, editor of the Cyprus daily Simerini, in Nicosia. Mr Constantinides was not in the car at the time.

Former DIKO parliamentary spokesman George Ladas was elected president of the House of Representatives in Cyprus with the support of AKEL and DIKO members. EDEK members walked out of the house.  

Cyprus foreign minister Mr Rolandis concluded a visit to China.

The Greek government broke off negotiations over the future of American bases in Greece with the United States after differences over the level of associated military aid required.  

The Guardian reported that a Turkish military prosecutor was to demand the death sentence for 52 leading trades unionists being held in Turkey.

In elections in the north of Cyprus, Mr Denktash obtained over 50% of the votes against candidates from three opposition parties, but his National Unity Party failed to win simultaneous elections for the assembly. It won 18 seats, against 13 for Mr Durduran's Communal Liberation Party, 6 for Mr Ozgur's Republican Turkish Party, 2 for Mr Konuk's Democratic People's Party and 1 for the Turkish Unity Party.