Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kifeas]

I have previously read somewhere that the CIA agent couching Greek Junta top man, Demetrios Ioannidis, “to eliminate Makarios and not to worry too much of the Turks as the US aim to sort them out,” was someone of Greek-American decent with the formal surname of “Avrakotos.” He was a close associate of Henry Kissinger, and acted directly under his orders and even outside the CIA chain of command.

The surname in Greek literally means someone not wearing breeches /underpants. He indeed was one, at least in a figurative sense, for contributing to the selling of Cyprus to the Turks. I do not know why he escaped been executed like his other CIA colleague, Richard Wells, by “November 17,” since he had stayed in Greece up until 1978.

I read today in “Politis” an article by academic Christos Iakovou, in which he digs further into the “days and labours” of this “avrakotos” (breechless,) who also used to bear the nickname of “Dr Dirty” by his CIA colleagues.

For those who read Greek, here is Christos Iakovou article in Politis:
http://www.politis-news.com/cgibin/hweb ... columns&-p
and that do not, here is a rough translation from Google:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... l&ie=UTF-8

Here is also another report about this dirty xe(a)vrakotos:
http://www.verianet.gr/content/view/409 ... l/#Scene_1
English Google translation:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... l&ie=UTF-8

And some more links here:
http://www.greeksoccer.com/forums/index ... show=&st=&

http://www.greekamericannewsagency.com/ ... &Itemid=83

Here is a Washington Post tribunal /biography upon his death in 2005.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00871.html

Here is a video clip of a scene from the movie “Charlie Wilson's War,” which is based on George Crile’s book with the same name, in which Avrakotos role is played by actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman (overweight man with glasses.) Notice what he says about his time in Greece (1964-1978) and his revelation on his role in the coup against Makarios, starting at about 1:08 minutes of the clip.

“I have been in the company for 24 years, I was posted in Greece for 15, Papandreou wins that election, I …… the Junta take him prisoner, I am advising on … the Hellenic army, I have neutralized champions of communism, I have spend the last 3 years running….”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WoZTWuR5D0

[Oracle]

What came first ... the American film looking for scapegoats to their murky CIA-Cyprus "past"? ... or evidence of this man's actual political role?

What pertinent evidence is there, for his influence on the betrayal of Cyprus?

[Bananiot]

I know someone that used to get CIA money in order to curb AKEL, in the 60's.

[Bananiot]

Kissinger said the following, according to some cretins:

"The Greek people are anarchic and difficult to tame. For this reason we must strike deep into their cultural roots: Perhaps then we can force them to conform. I mean, of course, to strike at their language, their religion, their cultural and historical reserves, so that we can neutralize their ability to develop, to distinguish themselves, or to prevail; thereby removing them as an obstacle to our strategically vital plans in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East".

[Kifeas]

What came first ... the American film looking for scapegoats to their murky CIA-Cyprus "past"? ... or evidence of this man's actual political role?

What pertinent evidence is there, for his influence on the betrayal of Cyprus?

If you read Greek, here is more info for you.

http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_art ... 008_256262

[Oracle]

What came first ... the American film looking for scapegoats to their murky CIA-Cyprus "past"? ... or evidence of this man's actual political role?

What pertinent evidence is there, for his influence on the betrayal of Cyprus?

If you read Greek, here is more info for you.

http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_art ... 008_256262

Of course I read Greek .... just give me a few hours

Thanks ....

[Oracle]

OK ... he sounds like the missing link that Nikitas has puzzled over. A messenger between Kissinger and Ioannides on how to overthrow Makarios and avoid the Cyprus/Cuba parallels. Turkey to be kept at bay with threats of invasion from Thrace to Istanbul.

It rather excuse Avrakotos to be called crazy ... seems more like he was not that great as a personality, and this was a convenient easy way for him, as a Greek-speaker, to make his mark

Yeah we were sold out by a pathetic, wishy-washy small man!

[Kifeas]

Kissinger said the following, according to some cretins:

"The Greek people are anarchic and difficult to tame. For this reason we must strike deep into their cultural roots: Perhaps then we can force them to conform. I mean, of course, to strike at their language, their religion, their cultural and historical reserves, so that we can neutralize their ability to develop, to distinguish themselves, or to prevail; thereby removing them as an obstacle to our strategically vital plans in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East".

Yeah, right!!! And the truth about '74 is that we (GCs) lost the war we have started against Turkey and the TCs! Yeah, right!!! We lost the war we started, when we elected Sampson as our president to carry out his mission of annihilating the TCs and then invade Turkey, that is why we have now to capitulate to the victorious of the war we have started! Yeah, right!!!

Kounia pou se kounage...

[Nikitas]

Coincidentally today the Ethnos newspaper has a report from the USA detailing how the US government refused repeated requests under the Freedom of Information Act to release CIA documents covering the Cyprus invasion, the overthrow of the Greek government in 1964, the Imia crisis and the Annan plan.

According to the paper CIA committee secretary Delores M. Nelso in a letter dated November 25, 2008 rejects any discussion on document release.

Now why would the Americans have any role in the Annan plan, and why would that role need to be kept secret?

I am just being facetious, in case you have not guessed.

My take is that there are people alive that need to be protected and there are the ubiquitous "American interests" which necessitate not telling the truth, yet. Some day the story will come out.

[Nikitas]

"υπάρχουν πολλά ερωτηματικά σχετικά με τις μυστικές συναντήσεις των Ιωαννίδη - Αβράκωτου τον Ιούνιο του 1974, τα οποία ενισχύονται από εκμυστηρεύσεις του Ιωαννίδη σε συνεργάτες του για τις διαβεβαιώσεις που έλαβε από τον Αβράκωτο σχετικά με τις προθέσεις των Τούρκων. "

Translation- There are many question marks regarding his secret meetings with Ioannides (Junta strongman and effective leader after 1973) during June 1974, which are reinforced by the revelations of Ioannides to his aides that he had reassurances from Avrakotos regarding the intentions of the Turks".

According to Papahelas in the Kathimerini link, the liaison between Avrakotos and Ioannides was Special Forces officer Yannakas. We all know the role of special forces in Cyprus and the posting of one officer, Papapostolou, of the Special Forces in Cyprus.

I wonder if Ioannides had him in mind when, after a phone call confirming the invasion, he shouted "the bastards double crossed me".

Oracle might be right, this could be the missing link.

I read the reports linked by Kifeas and as the Washington Post says in the obituary of the man, he was the son of blue collar Greek immigrants and had difficulty mixing with the Anglosaxon CIA elite. Presumably he got his fierce anticommunism from the parents, and I would guess that from the same source he got some anti Turkish sentiments. Not the best mix for a clear headed objective approach to any situation, let alone Cyprus in the 70s.