While the U.N. Secretary-General was maintaining his efforts for a breakthrough and
submitted for that purpose an "integrated document" in April 1985 which the Greek
Cypriot side accepted, the Turkish Cypriot leadership went ahead with a new series of faits
accomplis. These were in flagrant violation of the provisions of Security Council
resolutions 541 and 550 and the understanding conveyed to the two sides on August 8,
1984. The Turkish Cypriot side proceeded nevertheless, with the implementation of its
partitionist and secessionist policy.
The Denktash regime held on May 5, 1985 a "referendum" for the approval of a so-called
"new constitution" for the pseudo-state.
The Cyprus Government launched an official protest with the U.N. The Republic's
Foreign Minister, Mr. Iacovou, in a letter to the Secretary-General strongly denounced the
new faits accomplis.
In spite of the strong international condemnation of the "referendum" the Denktash regime
proceeded with two new secessionist acts i.e. the holding of the so-called "presidential
elections" on June 9 and "general elections" on June 23.
The Cyprus government strongly protested to the U.N. pointing out that this kind of
"elections" in the occupied area were illegal and their "results" were based on intimidation
tactics exercised by the Turkish armed forces and the adulteration caused by the fact that
about a third of the electorate consisted of settlers, who had explicit instructions to vote for
the policy line of Ankara and Denktash.
The above actions poisoned the already tense climate even further and added more
complications to the already difficult task of the UN Secretary-General and his efforts to
find a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.
Despite the Turkish provocations the Cyprus Government participated in a series of low
level technical talks in Geneva and London during the autumn and winter of 1985-1986
under the auspices of the United Nations.
At the end of three rounds of low level talks the UN Secretary-General produced a new
"Draft Framework Agreement" which he submitted to the two sides on March 29, 1986.
The Cyprus Government and the Greek Cypriot side made several constructive comments
in order to ensure the implementation of the three fundamental prerequisites for the
settlement of the problem, i.e. the withdrawal of all foreign troops and elements from the
territory of the Republic, the safeguarding of the basic freedoms of all Cypriot citizens
including the rights to property, settlement and freedom of movement and the securing of
effective international guarantees.
For the latter the Cyprus Government insisted on the convening of a representative
international conference in order to deal with the external aspects of the problem and
supported to this effect the then Soviet proposal of January 21, 1986, which suggests such
a procedure.
The Turkish side rejected the idea of the international conference and avoided discussion on
the fundamental aspects of the Cyprus problem. In addition during the intervening period
the Turkish side proceeded with the consolidation of the faits accomplis; the importation of
Anatolian settlers was speeded up and according to latest estimates they have reached over
80.000 while the Turkish occupation forces have been strengthened both numerically and
qualitatively.
