User:Cinadon36/sandbox6

From August 1958 to the Zurich and London Agreements


As the security forces weren't able to achieve a definite win over EOKA, the British government was trying to reach a solution that wouldn't embarrass Britain the eyes of the voters. Macmillan Plan was an effort towards this direction. Greeks rejected the plan as they saw it as an open door leading to partition and Grivas cancelled the truce on the September 7th. EOKA attacking methods and targets differed significantly from the previous periods. Grivas ordered guerillas to "strike indiscriminately at every English person wherever they can be found" resulting in the death of 8 British citizens in 104 attacks staged by EOKA against security forces in two months time. But while the military force of EOKA was growing, Greek Cypriots were increasingly getting frustrated from the intercommunal violence and the struggle against the British. Makarios hinted in an interview that he was ready to shift his stance and accept independence. This change of direction infuriated Grivas, but was backed by influential members of the Greek Cypriot Community. EOKA was losing its broad support base.

During the last months of 1958, all parties had reasons to favour a compromise. Greek Cypriot side was afraid that partition was becoming more and more imminent, Greece was anxious that the ongoing situation could lead to a war with Turkey, Turkey had to manage the ongoing crises at its eastern borders and the British didn't want to see NATO destabilizing because of of Greek-Turkish war. On 5 December, foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey acknowledge the common dangers from the ongoing situation and a series of meetings were arranged, that resulted in London-Zürich Agreements a compromise solution in which nt Cyprus would became an independent and sovereign country. Both Makarios and Grivas accepted the deal with a heavy heart, instead Turkish-cypriot leadership was enthousiastic about the compromise. On 9th of March 1959, Grivas issued a leaflet declaring his acceptance to London agreements.


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