“Since yesterday, Turkey has been trying to legitimize the illegal occupation of Cyprus by forcing the partition of the island,” Kathimerini reports on the front page of November 16, 1983.

The day before, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas announced “before the whole world and history” a pseudo-state called the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, saying his move would ease the prospect of a bi-zone federation. , through equal representation of the two communities of the island.

“The international reaction was immediate, general and categorical from the Western countries, while the Eastern countries kept complete silence, like the non-aligned ones, with the exception of Yugoslavia. Western governments, in addition to condemning the actions of Denktash, stressed that they do not recognize the so-called “Turkish Cypriot state,” the newspaper continues.

On the other hand, the President of the Republic, Konstantinos Karamanlis, said: “The Turks once again resort to arbitrariness and a fait accompli. They violate international law. They violate international treaties. And they defiantly ignore UN resolutions. However, arbitrariness never legitimizes lawlessness. A united Hellenism will meet this new Turkish challenge coolly but decisively. He will never recognize the arbitrariness of the Turks. And he will continue to fight for the restoration of freedom and the rule of law in Cyprus.”

On the same page, D. Papanagiotou, then director of Kathimerini, comments on the importance of Denktas’ decision and warns of Greek policy: “The most immediate positive result that it will bring should now be the clear development of a concrete and unified Greek Cypriot strategy to resolve the Cyprus issue. Exactly what has been missing so far. Exactly what has not disappeared so far from the opposite shore. Turkey has always followed a certain strategy, based on the actions of the “right moment”, in the implementation of medium and long-term goals. Just two days after the “parliamentary elections” in Turkey, Denktash issued a “proclamation”. “Achievement of the goal”, which was approved by Ankara of General Evren, recognizing the “state”.