Cyprus-Forum.com

[supporttheunderdog]

In my view Big Mak made a big mistake in 1955 when he turned down Hardings' offer of internal self rule. It was not what he wanted but if he had accept it I think we could have had a very different position in Cyprus today.

Acceptance of the plan had the following potential benefits - He could have put in place a one-man-one vote political system which would have avoided the cumbersome arrangements later imposed in 1960 and the obvious obvious problems they caused.The need for the first evil A plane, the Acritas plan and all that flowed from it in 1964 could have been avoided. In particular the British and the Turkish speaking Cypriots would not have been thrown together and the Turks would have had less excuse to interfere since the issue of inter communal violence, except at the instigation of Turkish elements, would have been avoided. If there had been any objections from eg the TSC this would have placed the objectors in the wrong.

That is not to say Turkey would not have objected and tried to interfere but he could have called on British support against foreign interference by Eg Turkey, and made the Turkish Speaking Cypriots in to the bad boys if they tried to disturb the political system with demands for separate structures based on language.

Then after say two sets of elections to show that Cyprus functioned internally (over say a five year period) Big Mak could then have looked for independence. This would probably have been achievable without guarantee powers and possibly even avoiding the establishment of the SBA. There might have been British military presence but this probably could have been restricted to the actual military bases, without Sovereign Control over the nearby area. .

Then after independence he could have called for a vote on Enosis, and retired to his monastery..

Just one possible alternative-

However he rejected the idea. The rest is history.

This does not change my view that Enosis would have been a social and economic disaster for Cyprus and independance was the best way forward.

[kimon07]

In my view Big Mak made a big mistake in 1955 when he turned down Hardings' offer of internal self rule....

1956 April I think, just one year after the commencement of the EOKA struggle. Those proposals were the strongest and uncontested proof that Grivas' strategic goal, to force Britain to change its stance of "no changes no discussions" was succesful.

The proposals were not just about internal self rule, but independence with the vague promise of future self determination (which at that time was supported by many British MPs.

As derives from the links I posted under the thread :"Why was Britain defeated by EOKA", the rejection of that plan lead to Britain's decision to promote the partition and it also lead to the involvement of Turkey to the game.

[kimon07]

"Makarios misses an opportunity"
This is a copy from:
cyprus37605-10.html

NEVERTHELESS, despite the strategic mistakes of the EOKA struggle the Greek
Cypriots were given an opportunity to achieve their original aim.

It occurred during the negotiations of Makarios with the Governor, Field Marshal Sir John
Harding, when the British offered the promise of self-determination at some
unspecified moment in future. But the talks collapsed.

Field Marshal Sir John Harding and Archbishop meet before their talks on Cyprus
collapse in February-March 1956.

This was the first and last time that the British talked with the Greek Cypriot
leadership, hoping to achieve the pacification of the Island through a political
settlement. It was also the only time when the British government conceded,
theoretically at least, the possibility of unitary self-determination,
fulfilling one of EOKA's original objectives. This proposal was made at a time
when certain officials were contemplating to 'tell the Turks that 18 per cent of
the [Cypriot] population cannot have an unqualified veto on the remaining 82 per
cent'.

Unwittingly Makarios turned down the Harding proposal and failed the litmus test that the British policy makers had set up for him.
His refusal to co-operate with the British was fatal. From that moment the British government resolved it
could no longer deal with the Greek Cypriots or the Greek government.
http://britains-smallwars.com/cyprus/Da ... iracy.html

[kimon07]

In my view Big Mak made a big mistake in 1955 when he turned down Hardings' offer of internal self rule....

1956 April ...just one year after the commencement of the EOKA struggle.

And in order to complete the picture I will mention again his second major mistake which you brought up under another thread a few months ago:

When the Americans started undertaking the initiative on the Cyprus problem after the bombings of 1964 (Atzesson Plan etc). Makarios, being by that time fully dependent on the votes and the support of AKEL, missed the chance to offer to the Americans a military base (similar to the ones in Crete) so as to secure NATO interests on the island and eliminate their fears of Soviet control on it.

[Viewpoint]

The GCs messed up big time the result of which is division.

[boulio]

well kimon it is never too late is it?Let the ROC UNDER a future solution offer one of the sba as a nato base which will be stationed by british,american,greek,turkish soldiers and cyprus can become part of nato.that should eliminate turkish fears.

[bill cobbett]

Well all the talk at the mo of course is for a Russian Base!!! Prob nothing in it but ... Wrong signals again or wot!!!???

[kimon07]

well kimon it is never too late is it?Let the ROC UNDER a future solution offer one of the sba as a nato base which will be stationed by british,american,greek,turkish soldiers and cyprus can become part of nato.that should eliminate turkish fears.

Having Greek and Turskish soldiers again next to each other....? Better not. OK for the others as long as the task of the force is clearly determined.

[kimon07]

well kimon it is never too late is it?Let the ROC UNDER a future solution offer one of the sba as a nato base which will be stationed by british,american.....

....German, Italian, French, Spanish etc.

[supporttheunderdog]

Well all the talk at the mo of course is for a Russian Base!!! Prob nothing in it but ... Wrong signals again or wot!!!???

how to win American Friends and Influence people but how are he US going to pull off a coup this time?