Peace on Cyprus
The biased commentary by Christopher Hitchens (Aug. 17) is just the type to boil the blood of every fair-minded person familiar with the history of Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots have not forgotten losing their citizenship rights by a decree of the then-president Archbishop Makarios in 1963. Nor have they forgotten the massacres between 1963 and 1974, aimed at driving the Turks away and accomplishing enosis, union with Greece. When they could not achieve that, they staged a coup in 1974, with the support of the junta then in power in Greece, which prompted the Turkish intervention in 1974. Turkey did not invade Cyprus for expansionist goals, it acted to protect its brethren.
The Turkish Cypriots know well that without the imposing presence of the Turkish army they would have been annihilated a long time ago. No Turkish Cypriot will trust a government run by the Greek Cypriots alone. Peace can come only when the legitimate concerns of the Turkish minority are accorded adequate consideration.
Turkish Cypriots want peace. Turkey wants peace. And peace will come only when the Greek Cypriots recognize their Turkish Cypriot neighbors as equal partners.
ORHAN GURBUZ, Chairman
American Turkish Assn.
of Southern California
Huntington Beach
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