CONTENTS

The First Round of Talks

Turkey's tactics were also manifest in its attitude towards the inter-communal talks, held under the auspices of the then U.N. Secretary General, Dr. Kurt Waldheim, in pursuance of Security Council resolution 362 (1975). Three rounds of talks were held in Vienna between 28 April and 3 May, 5 and 7 June, 31 July and 2 August 1975.1 The Turkish side followed delaying tactics and refused to put forward clearcut proposals on all aspects of the Cyprus problem, as her aim was the consolidation with the lapse of time of her position and the eventual turkification of the occupied territory. At the third round of the talks in Vienna the Turkish Cypriot negotiator agreed to submit comprehensive proposals before the next round, which was scheduled to take place in New York on 8 and 9 September 1975.
But the Turkish Cypriot side failed to submit the proposals it had promised and, in an attempt to turn world attention away from its commitments, continued instead to demand the establishment of a transitional government in an effort to deprive the Cyprus Government of its world recognition and deviate from the scheduled route of the negotiations.
Turkey also made it abundantly clear in New York that she was against any meaningful negotiations and tried to prolong the talks in order to consolidate the faits accomplis created through the use of armed force against the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus.
In view of the impasse created by the negative stand of the Turkish Cypriot side at the talks and Ankara's implementation of the colonisation plans, the Cyprus Government once again had recourse to the U.N. General Assembly. After hearing the views of the two sides, the General Assembly (R/3395) demanded the withdrawal of all foreign troops without further delay.2
In putting forward its case before the United Nations the Cyprus Government expressed its desire that the Greek and Turkish Cypriots live together in peace as they had done for many years in the past, and enjoy the benefits of progress and prosperity in their country. Moreover it stressed that the forcible movement of Greek Cypriots and seizure of their properties were inhuman acts and would be to the detriment of both sides. The Cyprus Government also declared that past experience has taught that if a settlement is to last it should be under broad effective international guarantees. As late President Makarios emphasized in his address before the General Assembly, "in an independent, non-aligned Cyprus free from the threats of force and all outside interference, its people, Greek and Turkish Cypriots, can live together in harmony with mutual respect for their legitimate rights. In these circumstances there will be neither need nor purpose for the existence of any armies". The Cypriot President said further that "the Government of Cyprus supports a fully demilitarized state of Cyprus and to this end is prepared to disband completely its armed forces.
In December 1975 the U.N. Secretary-General told the Security Council that he would be in contact with the parties "with a view to the resumption of the talks at the earliest possible time".

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