Soviet Union 1991

First update

It is not convenient for Yanayev to directly intervene in the dispute in Cyprus, not to mention that no president of any country will visit when a civil war breaks out in other countries. This is not a wise choice. Therefore, the communication between Yanayev and Cyprus President Clerides relies on the relationship of presidential envoy. This is why Yanayev needs Primakov to return as the president's foreign policy adviser. Primakov was far more useful than the Soviet Foreign Service on certain issues where his position was unclear.

This was Primakov's first political mediation after he visited Saddam Hussein before the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991. When he arrived in Baghdad, the entire city was already in a state of war preparation, with tanks and armored vehicles patrolling everywhere. Figure, Primakov's motorcade was escorted by the army to Saddam's official residence. Just like Cyprus now. However, Cyprus has not established a no-fly zone. The British Air Force has always controlled the air. However, many flights in and out of Cyprus have been closed after the outbreak of the civil war.

When the plane flew towards the taxiway, Primakov was surprised to find that the entire airport seemed to be silent. It seemed that after the war started, Nicosia also fell into the same environment as Baghdad.

When Primakov stepped off the plane, the tarmac was full of armored vehicles, and soldiers with rifles were on guard on the tarmac. Cypriot diplomats personally greeted Primakov at the airport and apologized to him.

"I'm sorry, Cyprus is currently in a state of civil war. It is really our fault that Special Envoy Primakov came all the way from Moscow to such a war-torn place." The diplomat said apologetically.

"It doesn't matter, this is my duty. For the sake of the friendship between Cyprus and the Soviet Union." Primakov didn't take the diplomat's words seriously. He had been to the more dangerous Middle East back then, and he was still afraid of Cyprus. civil war. However, on the way to the presidential palace, Primakov still obtained some information about the civil war from diplomats.

Since the US fleet withdrew from Cyprus waters, Turkish troops in Cyprus have launched a counterattack. At the same time, aid from Ankara has been continuously shipped to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This originally one-sided war gradually turned into a tug-of-war.

Although Cyprus had assistance from the Greek army, the huge disparity in strength even made it difficult for Cyprus to defend the two cities it captured. Now President Clerides just wants to end the war as soon as possible and get back to talking about issues at the negotiating table. But the regime on the other side doesn’t think so.

With the support of the Turkish army, they were eager to expand their results. In addition to taking back Morfu and Lefka, they also wanted to further seize more territory and complete their dream of occupying the entire Cyprus.

And Türkiye has also vigorously assisted Cyprus in realizing this dream. Who doesn’t want to turn Cyprus into a part of Turkey? In this way, Maziyer is equivalent to having a springboard in the Aegean Sea, helping him extend his power to any area in the Mediterranean.

After listening to the diplomats' stories, Primakov finally knew how serious the situation in Cyprus was now. In short, Clerides believed in the promise made by Mario, which led to this situation. Primakov deeply regretted the situation and understood why Yanayev sent him to Nicosia.

"How long will it take before I can see His Excellency the President?" Primakov asked respectfully.

"In half an hour, the president will be waiting for your arrival in the study." the diplomat replied respectfully.

Half an hour later, Primakov was taken to the President's Office of Cyprus by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the elegant presidential study, Clerides was frowning and smoking alone when he saw Primakov. After that, he quickly put out his cigarette, smiled, and stood up to welcome Primakov. The two sides were ready to get down to business and discuss issues related to cooperation between the Soviet Union and Cyprus.

After meeting Clerides, Primakov skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point and said to the melancholy president, "I heard that since the United States withdrew its fleet in the waters of Cyprus, the situation in the Cyprus civil war has slowly been declining. The earth is turning upside down, so who will pay for this civil war?”

Primakov knew that there was always no way out for what Clerides did. Once he compromised, it would be a devastating blow to Cyprus.

"Who will pay the bill?" Clerides smiled bitterly, showing the tiredness of not having slept for several days and nights. He coughed a few times and then said, "Special Envoy Primakov, do you know what the consequences will be once we choose to compromise? The Turkish army's attack will not stop, they will take back Morfu and Leif Then continue to advance to the south, just like the civil war in 1973, this time the ambitious Turkey may not just plunder 30% of the country.”

"What about Greece? Don't they have any support?" Primakov asked.

"Greece?" Cleridis leaned on the sofa and complained to Primakov. "What is Greece? Can we still expect selfless assistance from Greece? There are too few Greek troops stationed in Cyprus, and Greece's The assistance is only limited to arms assistance. How can the Turkish army be stationed in Cyprus as high as 30,000 people? "

Primakov fell silent after hearing Clerides's talk. He did not expect that the situation in Cyprus was much more complicated than he had imagined. It was no wonder that Yanayev proposed such an incredible plan to him.

"Now we can only rely on ourselves." Clerides said slowly, "We have closed Nicosia International Airport, and the entire country of Cyprus has entered a state of emergency mobilization. We will call on all Greeks to fight for their own homes. We accepted these damn Muslins out of kindness before, but now they want to kill us all!"

Speaking of the conflict between the Turkish and Greek people, it can be traced back to deep roots. In history, the people of Cyprus were mainly Greeks who migrated in the classical period. Even under the rule of the Byzantine Empire, they did not lose the core of Greek culture. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the Republic of Venice briefly took over Cyprus. However, at the end of the 16th century, the Catholic League was defeated by the Ottoman Empire. The Turks occupied this land, and Primakov carried out a large number of migrations. The ethnic conflicts between the Turkish people and the local Cypriots, as well as the Islamization policy implemented by the Ottoman Empire, have planted a time bomb for the long-term religious and ethnic conflicts in Cyprus.

In other words, since the 16th century, Cyprus has planted the seeds of hatred, which took root and sprouted after Cyprus' independence.

After the failure of the Russo-Turkish War, Cyprus was ceded to Britain. The trend of decolonization after World War II finally made Cyprus an independent country in the 1960s. However, the Zurich Agreement in 1959 was signed by Turkey, Britain and Greece. The purpose was simply to check and balance each other to ensure that Cyprus' independence was not violated. However, Cyprus seems to have never been truly independent. As a country with two major ethnic groups, Greeks and Turks, Cyprus has become the center of the struggle between the two ethnic groups after independence. The Greek-Turkish joint government could not reach an agreement on many issues, and bloody conflicts continued. The large-scale conflict in 1963 directly led to the Turks losing their political power in Cyprus.

In 1974, the Greek ultra-patriotic organization launched a coup, overthrew the government at that time, and elected ultra-patriotic Greek elements to power, which directly led to the Turkish invasion in 1974.

In July and August 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus twice, directly resulting in the occupation of 37% of Cyprus' territory and a large number of Greek civilian casualties. In order to retaliate against the long-term oppression by the Greeks, the Turkish Muslins carried out a rather horrific ethnic cleansing in this invasion.

"They took away the land where we live, the paradise where we have lived for generations, but what did these Muslins give in return? It was a brutal massacre!"

No wonder Clerides said that none of the Muslins on Cyprus were innocent. They should all be held responsible for the death of the Greeks.

When Clerides stopped complaining, Primakov said to him, "We sympathize with the current situation in Cyprus. I think if the Soviet Union can help Cyprus solve this problem properly, what will Cyprus give in return?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Clerides said vigilantly.

"We can make Cyprus and the northern Turkish regime reach a ceasefire agreement, but I want to see your sincerity." Primakov slowly revealed the conditions that Yanayev gave him.

Clerides said, "If the Soviet Union can guarantee the security of the Cypriot regime, then Cyprus is willing to accept any conditions proposed by the Soviet Union. Except for the requirements that threaten the integrity of national sovereignty."

"Okay." Primakov waited for the other party to say this condition. He couldn't wait to say, "The Soviet Union has two demands. One is to help Cyprus build a new bastion shore-to-ship missile defense system, and the other is that the Soviet Union requires the establishment of an air force base in Cyprus like the British." "Believe me, President Clerides, although I know you want to extend the butcher knife to the northern regime, but not now."^