Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX, Eastern Europe; Eastern Mediterranean, 1969–1972

389. Intelligence Information Cable¹

TDCS DB 315/00987–72

Washington, February 4, 1972.

COUNTRY

Cyprus/Czechoslovakia

DOI

January 1972

SUBJECT

• Purchase of Czechoslovakian Arms by the Government of Cyprus.

ACQ

[1 line not declassified]

SOURCE

[1 line not declassified]

1. In early February 1972, President Archbishop Makarios disclosed to his closest advisors that he had purchased arms from the Government of Czechoslovakia. He later confirmed the arms purchase to the Commander of the Cypriot National Guard, Lieutenant General Haralambos Haralambopoulos. In disclosing the purchase, Makarios said that the arms are intended for use by the Cypriot police in countering any attempts at armed violence by groups loyal to retired Lieutenant General Georgios Grivas. Makarios said that the arms had been delivered by ship to Cyprus in late January and were off-loaded in the vicinity of Xeros. The arms were then taken by truck to the Archbishopric located within the old walled city of Nicosia. The President stated that the cost of the arms package was 500,000 pounds sterling (approximately U.S. $1.3 million). Although he did not indicate the type of arms involved, Makarios said that the transaction was similar in terms of type and quantity to the 1966 arms purchase from Czechoslovakia. ([less than 1 line not declassified] Comment: The figure of 500,000 pounds appears very high. The 1966 purchase of Czech arms amounted to approximately U.S. $427,000. This purchase consisted of both arms and 2.5 million rounds of ammunition—the major arms items included 1500 rifles, 100 submachine pistols, 700 submachine guns, 140 light and heavy machine guns, 30 anti-tank guns, and 30 82–MM mortars.) (Source Comment: The President did not specify the date he had completed the transaction for the date of delivery. Although he did not mention the quantity of arms purchased, Makarios noted that it took 50 truckloads to complete the transfer from the Xeros area to the Archbishopric. The transaction was made in the strictest secrecy.)

2. (Headquarters Comment: See TDCS DB–315/00977–72² from another reliable source for a report in which Makarios was reported to have said that the arms transaction cost over 600,000 pounds.) ([less than 1 line not declassified] Comment: An additional reliable source has reported that according to a unit of the Greek Central Information Service/KYP/in Cyprus, the subject of acquisition of bloc arms arose first following the return of Makarios from Moscow in June 1971, then again in connection with the October 1971 trip to Czechoslovakia by Dr. Vasso Lyssarides. This source believes that the Lyssarides trip was for the specific purpose of arranging the details of the arms purchase on behalf of the Cypriot Government. Source further believes that Makarios decided to purchase these arms for three reasons: because of his uncertainty following his disagreement with the Greek Government in June 1971; because of his suspicion that the Cypriot National Guard does not fully support him; and because of the internal developments in Cyprus since the arrival there of Grivas.)

3. [1½ lines not declassified]

1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Records of the Directorate of Intelligence, Intelligence Information Cables. Secret; Priority; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem. Prepared in the CIA and sent to members of the Intelligence Community.
2. Dated February 4, it reported that on February 1, Grivas supporters had informed the Greek Government of the Czech arms shipments, and that Makarios had confirmed that the shipments were being made. (Ibid.)