GREEK FORCES AND US-ORIGIN ARMS ON CYPRUS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000700230008-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 7, 1999
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: July 1, 1975
• Content Type: MEMO

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1 July 1975
Greek Forces and US-Origin Arms on Cyprus
1960 to Mid-1974
An agreement signed at the time of the establish-
ment of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960 provided for
the presence on the island of military contingents
from both Greece and Turkey. The two national contin-
gents, 650 - rkish and 950 Greek troops, had the mission
of defending the island against external aggrcssion
and of training the army of the new state. The develop-
ment of severe ethnic tensions among the Cypriot popula-
tion, however, soon led both Greece and Turkey to send
additional forces to the island illegally, with the
illegal force being sent by Greece being at least ten
times larger than the force sent by Turkey.
By 1967 it was estimated that there were at least
7000 Greek troops on the island over an.,! al)ove the 950
permitted by the 1960 agreement.
Many of the infantry-type
weapons of these troops (pistols. rifles, machine guns,
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rocket launchers, recoilless rifles and mortars)
were of US origin, i.e., originally supplied
to Greece under the Military Assistance Pr..oyram.
Some of the major armaments were also of US origin.
As a result of the 1.967 Cyprus crisis Greece
agreed to withdraw the forces illegally on the island
and the bulk of them were removed in early 1968.
When they left, they took many of their heavy weapons
but some of the US-supplied infantry weapons were
left behind for use by the Greek Cypriot National
Guard (CNG). Following the 1967 crisis both Greece
and Turkey continued to maintain small illegal military
contingents on the island, principally for the purpose
of commanding and training the indigenous Greek Cypriot
and Turkish Cypriot military forces.
Prior to the Turkish intervention of July 1974
Greece was maintaining approximately 1650 troops on
the island, 950 serving legally with the Hellenic Army
Contingent (ELDYK) and 700 illegally with the CNG.
Both the ELDYK and the Greek contingent with the CNG were
partially armed wi't.h infantry-type weapons provided by
the US to Greece under MAP. The only major armaments of
US origin on the island at the time of the Turkish inter-
vention were 75mm pack howitzers in the CNG.
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After Mid-1974
The number of Greek troops was increased followinq
the outbreak of fighting and in January 1975 may have
numbered as many as 2400 men. The troops brought in
as reinforcements were partially equipped with infantry-
type American weapons. Since that time some decrease
in the size of the Greek force has apparently taken
place and their current strength is believed to be
less than 2000 men.
Since the en9 of the fighting Greece has continued
to provide both the CNG and its own forces on the island
with limited amounts of military supplies, including
ammunition, small arms and recoilless rifles, Some of
these supplies have been US-made.
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