Assistant Professor of International Relations Aleksis Iraklides from the Faculty of Political Science and History at the University of Athens stated that while observing the second round of talks between TRNC President Rauf Denktas and the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides, where the issue of missing persons was taken up, relatives of the so-called missing persons were protesting outside the building where the meeting was taking place, and that in Athens there was the impression that in Cyprus there were only Greek Cypriot missing persons. He said that this was not the case because there were also many Turkish Cypriot missing persons who were the victims of the EOKA-B terrorist organization and the Greek Junta. He also added that some of the so-called missing Greek Cypriots were in fact murdered by other (left-wing, Makarios supporters) Greek Cypriots.
Continuing, Assistant Professor Iraklides said the reason why the Cyprus State only lasted for three-years before it was abolished is perfectly clear. He said the reason for this was the fatal 13-point plan proposed by Makarios on 13 November 1963, whereby the fate of the neighbouring community (Turkish Cypriots) would depend on the Greek Cypriot majority, who would basically put them (Turkish Cypriots) in the position of a minority.
He also said that the partition of Cyprus was as a result of the start of the bloody events of December 1963 and 1964, which led to the arrival of the UN Peace Keeping Forces to Cyprus, the gathering of most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves, and which also paved the way for all state organs to be in the hands of the Greek Cypriots.
Assistant Professor Iraklides also said that on the issue of the continuation of the inter-communal violence there are two main views; firstly that there was joint responsibility, and that secondly the main responsibility lies with the Greek Cypriots, who were responsible for starting the attacks.
He said that although the first view is generally supported by Hellenes or the friends of Hellenes, the second view is more reliable and even the UN Secretary-General, U Thant, considered this view to be correct."