STATUS OF SOVIET ARMS AID TO CYPRUS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01003A002400090001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 21, 2001
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: October 1, 1965
• Content Type: BRIEF

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NO FOREIGN DISSEM
SECRET
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INTELLIGENCE BRIEF
Office of Kesearcri and. x eports
- GROUP 1.
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and"
declassification
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This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Sees. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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STATUS OF SOVIET ARMS AID TO CYPRUS
In mid-August the USSR reportedly rejected a request from Cyprus
for additional arms aid, ostensibly because the Greek Cypriots still had
not assimilated the Soviet equipment -- valued at more than $10 mmil-
lion -- already delivered. The weapons included medium tanks, artillery,
motor torpedo boats, and personnel carriers. Support equipment for
surface-to-air missiles (SAM's) has also been delivered to the island in
spite of NATO pressures in early 1965 to halt such deliveries, Although
Moscow has been willing to provide arms aid in an effort to exploit
Turkish-Greek differences over the Cyprus issue, it has attempted to
minimize public reaction to its role in the supply of weapons to Cyprus
by transshipping the equipment through the United Arab Republic (UAR).
Only the actual SAM's and some associated gear remain to be delivered
from the UAR. Currently, most of the Soviet weapons are being
operated by Greek personnel (described by Athens as army veterans
hired by the Greek Cypriots), and training in the operation of Soviet
weapons is continuing in the UAR and on Cyprus..
1. Background of Soviet Arms Aid to Cyprus
Following the outbreak of hostilities between the Greek and Turkish
communities on Cyprus in late 1963, Archbishop Makarios sought
sources for arms aid. After his requests were rejected by Western
suppliers, he turned to the USSR in March 1964. Despite initial objec-
tions to the introduction of Soviet weapons on the island expressed by
the Greek government to Nicosia and an attempted veto of the agreement
by the Turkish Cypriot Vice President of Cyprus, an agreement for arms
aid was signed in Moscow by representatives of the Soviet and Cypriot
governments on 30 September 1964.
Soviet policy in the northeastern Mediterranean area has aimed
primarily at disrupting the southern flank of NATO. In an effort to
exploit differences between Greece and Turkey over the Cyprus issue
and to complicate relations with their NATO allies, Moscow injected
itself into the dispute by providing arms aid to the Greek Cypriots.
The USSR has attempted to minimize public reaction to its role in
this arms supply, however, by using the UAR as an intermediary.
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2. Arms Agreement of September 1964
Although few details of the 1964 agreement have been published,
the overall value of the agreement (based on the cost of equipment) is
estimated at about $14 million and the credit at $7 million (assuming a
discount of 50 percent from list prices). The credit probably was for a
eriod of at least 15 nears at an annual rate of interest of 2 percent.
epayment presumaaiy
currency or in commodities at the option of Nicosia. Technical assist-
ance -- the training of Greek and Greek Cypriot personnel in the UAR
under Soviet or Egyptian instructors -- probably also was included in
the agreement.
B. Equipment
Most of the equipment under the 1964 agreement is believed to
have been delivered and deployed on Cyprus. The equipment included
the following items:
25X1 B
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The SAM equipment provided to Cyprus by the USSR is the most
advanced item in the aid package. Deliveries of SAM equipment began
in late February 1965, and by the middle of March three Greek ships
carrying SAM components, but no missiles, had unloaded at Cyprus
ports. Diplomatic reaction by Greece's NATO allies caused the de-
liveries to stop abruptly in mid-March, and some Greek ships destined
for Cyprus returned to Alexandria and unloaded SAM equipment Subse-
quently, a group of 30 Greek SAM personnel (reportedly only one of
three such Greek groups) returned from Cyprus to Greece. Cypriot
Minister of Interior Georkadji.s reportedly stated that if Greece refused
to send SAM crews Cyprus would get them from the UAR or the USSR.
Early in April 1965, Nicosia stated that in the absence of a UN
or NATO guarantee against a Turkish attack it intended to proceed with
plans to make its SAM system operational. Greece apparently relented,
and the 30-man group en route to the UAR for training returned to
Cyprus. Shortly thereafter, deliveries of military equipment were again
started. Greek freighters delivered five military cargoes -- reportedly
including SAM gear -- during the period mid-April through early June.
If these reports are accurate, most of the SAM equipment reportedly
scheduled for delivery to Cyprus is probably now on the island. To date,
however, there is no reliable information indicating that any of the actual
missiles are on Cyprus or that SAM sites are under construction.
3. Conclusions
The Soviet policy of offering arms aid to Cyprus has served Com-
munist objectives well., The introduction of Soviet arms has made the
USSR a significant factor in the Cyprus dispute; it has decreased the
likelihood of immediate "enosis" (the union of Cyprus with Greece, to
which the USSR has always objected); and perhaps most important;, it
has served to weaken the southern flank of NATO,
25X1A
Analyst.
Coord: OCI
RR
OCI
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SECRET
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St/A/DS Distribution of Current Support Brief No.
Soviet Arme Aid to Cyprus --- October 1965 (SECRET/NO FOREIGN
DISSEM)
Copy No.
Recipient
1
5
O/DD.I, Room 7E32, H
6
O / DDI, 25X1 A
10
Ch/E
11
13
D/ONE
14
19
St/CS
20
St/PR
21
27
D/T (1 each branch)
28
- 34
D/R (1 each branch)
35
MRA
36
- 40
D/P (1 each branch)
41
- 46
D/F (1 each branch)
47
St/PS
48
- 53
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54
- 58
D/A (1 each branch)
59
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GD/OBI
61
- 62
CD/OBI
63
CD/X/OBI
64
- 69
RID/SS/DS, Unit 4, Room 1B4004, Hq.
25X1A
70
St/P/A
71
St/FM
72
Analyst/Branch TIPQ)
73
GR/CR
74
BR/CR
75
FIB /SR/CR, Room 1G27, Hq.
76
Library/CR
77
IPI/CR
78
Archival File > Records Center
79
Chief, OCR/FDD
80
DCS/SD
81
OCI/SA/R, Room 5G 19, Hq.
82
DDI/CGS, Room 7G00, Hq.
83
- 84
DDI/CGS/HR, Room 7G00, Hq.
85
DDI/RS, Room 4G39, Hq.
GROUP I ----
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Copy No. Recipient
86 - 88 D/OSI
89 D/OBI
90 DD/S&T/SpINT 25X1A
91 - 92 OTR/IS/IP, Room 532, 1000 Glebe (1 - OTR/SIC)
93 NPIC/CSD/REF, Room 15518,
94 NSAL, Room 3W136, Ft. Mea e v , Hq.)
95 - 103 OCI Internal (via SDS/DD/OCR) 25X1A
104 - 112 NSA_(via GB31, Hq.)
113 - 114 National Indications Center, Room 1E821, Pentagon
115 - 126 State, INR Communications Center, Room 6527, State
Dept. Bldg.
127 - 130 USIA, IRS/A, Room 1002, 1750 - Pennsylvania Avenue,
N. W., Attn: Warren Phelps
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Arlington Hall Station
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241 - 290 Records Center
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21 October 1965
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Dissemination Control Branch, DD/CR
FROM : Acting Chief, Publications Staff, ORR
SUBJECT Transmittal of Material
It is requested that the attached copies of CIA/RR CB 65-9, Status of
Soviet Anne Aid to Virus, October 1965, Secret/NO FOREIGN DISSE I, be forwarded
as follows:
State, INR Communications Center,
Room 6527, State Dept. Bldg.
Suggested distribution for
Embassies in Ylescow, London,, Paris,
Ankara,. Athens, Cairo., and Nicosia
ACTION Ck".vII.ETED
the dissemmaiton ret tiesled by
This Memorandum has been comp) Ie 4
0y; d-V
)2 &".6
Attachments:
Co Aes 186 - #192 of CE 65-59
25X1A
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S E C R E T
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Project No. 35. 5277
Report Series CIA/RR CB 65-59
Title: Status of Soviet Arms Aid to Cyprus --- October 1965 (SECRET/NO
FOREIGN DISSEM)
Responsible Analyst and Branch
T/PO 25X1A
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