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1974 Cyprus Coup: Declassified Documents Reveal Makarios' Assessment
Declassified documents detail Archbishop Makarios' assessment of the situation before the 1974 Cyprus coup, the coup's aftermath, and Turkey's subsequent invasion.
Greek
Greece
PoliticsInternational RelationsEuropean UnionMilitary TechnologyCoupCyprusInvasion
Eoka BKypItnUn Security CouncilNato
Archbishop MakariosNikos SampsonRauf DenktashBülent EcevitHenry Kissinger
- What were the immediate consequences of the coup d'état in Cyprus?
- The coup, orchestrated by Greece's junta, led to Makarios' overthrow and paved the way for the Turkish invasion. Despite this, Makarios himself did not believe a coup was imminent.
- How did Turkey and other international actors react to the coup in Cyprus?
- Turkey's response was to state that it would not accept the coup's outcome and that it reserved the right to intervene. Meanwhile, Makarios escaped to New York to address the UN Security Council.
- What was Archbishop Makarios' assessment of the situation in Cyprus days before the 1974 coup?
- Archbishop Makarios believed that a civil war in Cyprus was unlikely, even two days before the 1974 coup. He stated that the situation was not critical unless the Greek government was determined to create a civil war by continuing to support EOKA B's terrorist activities.
- What information do the declassified KYP documents reveal about the events surrounding the coup?
- The declassified documents from the Greek Central Intelligence Service (KYP) reveal the events leading up to and following the coup. They show that even the KYP analysts were unaware of the impending coup.
- What were the long-term consequences of the 1974 coup and subsequent Turkish invasion of Cyprus?
- The Turkish invasion, following the coup, resulted in the occupation of 37% of Cyprus, the displacement of tens of thousands of Greek Cypriots, and the disappearance of approximately 1,600 people.