Akar celebrated 1964 napal bombing of Greek-Cypriots on eve of Cyprus talks

By George Gilson

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar on 8 August threatened the Republic of Cyprus over its legal exploitation of the island’s major hydrocarbons deposits even as he celebrated the Turkish Air Force bombardment

Akar essentially a priori torpedoed the 9 August talks between Cyprus’ President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Ankinci who is calling for a joint committee to manage the island’s resources on an equal basis.

It should be noted that Greek-Cypriots comprised 82% of the population when Turkey occupied and still holds 37% of the island’s territory since August, 1974.

Akar was speaking at a nationalist commemoration of the 1964 bombing of Tylliria by the Turkish Air Force which used napalm against the civilian population in an area where it sought to establish a breakaway Turkish-Cypriot enclave (Kokkina) as a first step to the partition of the island.

Kokkina was the depot for illegal weapons and troops sent by Turkey to advance its separatist aims.

It was only the ultimatum of US President Lyndon Johnson that averted a Turkish military landing on the island in June, 1964.

The New York Times at the time reported extensively on the crisis.

“Officials here declined to confirm reports that a Turkish invasion fleet had been formed. But they noted that the Turkish Government some time ago announced plans for large amphibious maneuvers and that troops and vessels gathered near the port of Iskenderun. This is the nearest large port to Cyprus on the Turkish coast.

“The Turkish military activity and a military alert that it touched off in Greece and Cyprus prompted the United States to move quickly during the last 24 hours to try to avoid a collision between Turkey and Greece over the Cyprus question.

“Qualified sources indicated that the President had sent a message to Premier [Ismet] Inonu last night through the United States Ambassador in Ankara, Raymond A, Hare, with the invitation to visit Washington,” the New York Times reported on 6 June, 1964.

It was perhaps Ankara’s most humiliating moment ever as regards the Cyprus problem, and it did not forget.

“Let them not test our power because there will be a heavy price to pay,” Akar declared today in Turkish-occupied Cyprus.

“We hope that all relevant parties, especially the Greek Cypriots, understand our conciliatory and sincere approach and respond in kind,» Akar said, adding that Turkey is the most powerful guarantor of peace and stability in the region.

Turkey speciously interpreted the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, one of three that established the Republic of Cyprus and ended British colonial rule, as a pretext for occupying the island in July and August, 1974.

Akar defended Ankara’s decision to allow the occupation regime to issue illegal gas and oil exploration permits covering the area of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.

Akar expressed optimism that Ankara can reach an understanding with the new Mitsotakis government but he did not clarify on what basis he thinks that will beyond a vague notion of “mutual trust”.