bill cobbett wrote:Bananiot wrote:He capitulated Bill, instead of doing what? Go on and win the war, when the Greeks told him that Greece is far away? In any case, BBF was agreed not by Klerides but by Makarios and it was reiterated by Spyros Kyprianou.
My dear Bananiot, please stop trying to put it about that anyone that disagrees with your views is a nationalist war-monger...it's foolish, and it doesn't work mate.
In any event here are parts of two reports of the meeting in Geneva on 8th August 1974, during the cease-fire, a time when Mr Clerides was President of the Republic and not Big Mak. Both Rough Donktosh and Mr Clerides refer to schemes which although they are not referred to directly as BBFs... do refer to two administrative regions, autonomous regions, bi-national nature, etc etc.
Rough had "suggested" much the same at the back end of 1963 and start of 1964, and Big Mak turned it down.
The 8th August 1974 meeting is the earliest ref to leaders of both communities agreeing to this early form of BBF.... and again will say it was Mr Clerides as Pres of the Republic who first agreed to it, not Big Mak.
At the second Geneva Conference which started on August 8th, Denktaş and Clerides had a series of informal meetings.
Denktaş issued the following report:
1. Mr Glafkos Klerides and Mr Rauf Denktaş, having met within the framework of the Geneva Declaration of 30th July from 10-12 August, agreed that a fundamental revision of the Constitutional structure of the Republic of Cyprus is necessary to ensure that the tragic events of the past should not repeat themselves, and in order to provide the minimum conditions in which the Greek and Turkish communities can permanently coexist together in the Republic in full confidence so that the security of each is safeguarded.
2. Bearing in mind the existence in practice in the Republic of Cyprus of two autonomous administrations, they agreed that this revision should result in the establishment of a federal system of government based on the following fundamental elements:
a. The Republic of Cyprus shall be an independent bi-national state.
b. The Republic shall consist of two federated states with full control and autonomy within their respective boundaries.
c. In determining the competence to be left to the federal government, the bi-national nature of the State shall be taken into account and the federal competence shall be exercised accordingly.
d. The area of the Turkish Cypriot Federated State shall cover 34% of the territory of the Republic falling north of a general line starting from the Limnitis-Lefka area in the west and running towards the east, passing through the Turkish controlled part of Nicosia, including the Turkish part of Famagusta and ending at the port of Famagusta.
3. Pending an agreement on the final Constitutional structure of the Republic, the two autonomous administrations shall take over the full administrative authority within their respective areas as defined above and shall take steps to normalize and stabilize life in the Republic and refrain from acts of violence, harassment and discrimination against each other.
4. Mr Klerides and Mr Denktaş further agreed:
a. At once to hold discussions between them in Nicosia, without the participation of the representatives of Greece and Turkey in order to elaborate as a matter of urgency the constitutional structures envisaged above, and,
b. To report to the Foreign Ministers of Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at a further meeting to be held on 1st September 1974, on the conclusions reached.
Klerides issued the following report:
1. Mr Glafkos Klerides and Mr Rauf Denktaş, having conferred at Geneva between August 10 and 12, 1974, have concluded that a fundamental revision of the governmental system of the Republic of Cyprus is necessary to provide the conditions in which the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities will be able to coexist in peace in the Republic with an utter and mutual confidence that the security of all will be safeguarded. They have agreed that this revision will result in the establishment of a system based on the existence of two autonomous administrations within suitable boundaries, united under a central government. They have also agreed that these changes will be effected within the framework of a sovereign, independent and united Cyprus Republic.
2. Mr Klerides and Mr Denktaş have moreover agreed:
a. To hold discussions between them in Nicosia in order to elaborate, as a matter of immediate urgency, the constitutional structure envisaged in the above paragraph.
b. To report to the Foreign Ministers of Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at a further meeting to be held on 1st September 1974, on the conclusions reached.
As an aside, this answers the often put GC question of why the Turkish Army didn’t just withdraw and allow the 1960 Constitution to be restored. It had arguably been defunct since 1963; it was undoubtedly a dead duck following 15 July 1974; and now both community leaders agreed that they didn’t want it back. The problem was to negotiate the details of what has become known as the BBF.
In the meantime, back in Cyprus, the situation was deteriorating. It is doubtful if the leaders ever had control over the armed bands that had built up during the 11 years of stand-off. GCs made little effort to withdraw from the enclaves save from those where Turkish troops were an immediate threat and many TC villages remained cut off with UNFICYP being unable to assist. Thousands of TCs still remained in captivity (ditto GCs). The Turkish army’s position was not deep enough to be considered defensible against determined attack.
Despite the promising start of the informal Klerides/ Denktaş meetings, when the Conference convened with the addition of the guaranteeing powers, the GC position hardened. Commentators have speculated that the UK backed Greece, and hence the GCs, in order to strengthen the newly restored democracy in Greece.
