USSR 1991

Page 257

But now Mazier has reached the critical point of patience, and even his voice has become cold, "However, in my opinion, every mistake our ground troops make is a low-level mistake that cannot be lowered." Including the lack of anti-aircraft artillery and the slow attack of fighter jets, I would like to ask if the Turkish commanders and staff officers stationed in Cyprus are a bunch of ignorant idiots? Is it? That means I have a good temper and I still need to go through a court-martial This level. If it was Stalin, he would have sent them to see Lenin long ago."

"Minister of Defense, this time we did not lose in strategy, but entirely because of carelessness. The previous victory blinded us, allowing the Cypriot army to seize the opportunity to counterattack. Now, we may never have the opportunity to carry out a counterattack. Fight back."

Maziel slowly closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands to hide his painful expression.Originally, it had already made an appointment with the United States to negotiate with Greece in the next few days.End this dispute through the intervention of the United Nations.To put it bluntly, it is to let Turkey and Greece find a way to take a step back.After all, in this war, Turkey did not suffer much, but instead occupied a few more small towns.

But all victories disappeared with the fall of Morfu, and now Maziel had to reconsider a problem.Whether to recapture the lost Moerfu, or to continue the negotiation.If it is to regain Morfu, then Turkey's image in the minds of NATO and European countries will completely collapse.

The Minister of Defense decided to fight for a chance for the Turkish Army to make amends. He hurriedly said to Maziel, "No, we can still get Morfu back. As far as I know, the Cyprus coalition army captured Morfu Losses were similarly heavy afterwards. More than one-third of the tanks in the two battalions of T80 were destroyed or could no longer be used due to mechanical failure. And the so-called newly formed T72 tank battalion suffered roughly the same losses."

"So the victory of the Cyprus joint force is nothing more than a tragic victory. As long as we can organize an effective offensive, we can take Morfu in one fell swoop, and then negotiate with the United States and Greece."

"I can only say that you are thinking too much, Minister of Defense." Since becoming a politician, Maziel has given up thinking about problems as a general.What he considers more is to proceed from the overall situation, give up some petty profits, and protect his own best interests from infringement.

"The negotiation has been decided long ago. Turkey and the United States may issue a notice in the near future to end the dispute in Cyprus. Then the territory after the war will be used as the border between the two sides. So this is why I want to organize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to carry out a strategic counteroffensive as long as I take up a pen and sign the document, as much land as the Turkish army can swallow, that land is ours."

"But now Morfu has become a nail that prevents Turkey from going south. It takes a lot of effort to pull out this nail. Now we have no extra troops to continue going south. So in the end we can only choose the most regrettable way , Abandon Morfu. Round the city with the prepared armored forces and carry out a counterattack."

The Minister of Defense reminded Mazyel of the importance, and they would never give up such a strategic position.Otherwise, when Turkey invaded Cyprus, it would not terminate the Attila 2 operation after obtaining Morfu and Lefka.

"But this city is a transportation hub linking the north and the south. Everyone wants to occupy this area. If we don't do it now, they will become the territory of Cyprus in the future."

"How much will it cost the Turkish army to win back Morfu?"

From the beginning, Maziel had no intention of paying a terrible price to win Morfu back. He calculated the losses and gains with the Minister of Defense.

"Cyprus has deployed anti-aircraft missiles, and their armored forces will continue to support the joint forces stationed in Morfu. In this way, both sides need to invest a lot of manpower, material and financial resources in this city. War. Do you know why Turkey has been unwilling to accept peace talks at the beginning? Because we know that Greece’s economy has entered a downturn range, and they are very rejected such endless black holes as aiding regional conflicts. But Cyprus, as a slave country of Greece It is impossible for Greece to stand by. So the only thing they can do is to give weapons and funds and let Cyprus handle it by itself.”

Mazier first paused, and then said slowly, "Then a Soviet Union jumped out at this time, claiming to be able to handle anything for them. As long as you have money, everything is negotiable. So Greece bought missiles, ships and anti-aircraft artillery, After that, the Soviet Union used the prestige of the United Nations to try its best to bring the United States into peace talks in Cyprus. It is estimated that the United States, which has had enough profits from arms sales, also understands that the two NATO countries cannot be entangled with each other, so the war will be stopped soon.”

"That's why I will remind you that apart from throwing a large number of corpses in Morfu, we have no chance to win back Morfu in a short time."

Mazyer finished the last sentence with a wry smile, "So Turkey has no chance of winning against the Soviet Union. We can only say that we were tricked by the United States and the Soviet Union this time."

Chapter 571 Washington's Secret Meeting

Before Primakov went to the White House in the United States, Yanayev talked to Primakov about the current situation in Cyprus.Yanayev gave a sharp insight.

"Actually, in this Cyprus conflict, whether it is Greece or Turkey, they have been tricked by the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States used the existing political situation to force Maziel to cooperate with Washington, while the Soviet Union used Cyprus to sell arms and suppress Turkey. He warned the other party not to get too close to the United States. In this way, the Soviet Union and the United States can be regarded as evenly divided, and each has its own winners and losers."

Yanayev said meaningfully, "But I feel that the United States has lost more people's hearts. After all, the method of cooperation first and then betrayal has betrayed the interests of Cyprus and Greece, and Turkey, which is trying to unite, has not achieved the desired effect. There is deep hostility towards President Mario's attempt to meddle in Turkey's internal affairs. This is our opportunity to divide NATO, Comrade Primakov, you must seize it."

Primakov chewed over what Yanayev said on the plane, always feeling that Yanayev's words meant something else.Primakov knew that this trip to Washington was not as easy as he thought.The mission he entrusted was not only a messenger role to convey Moscow's position, but also an intermediate coordinator between the United States and the Soviet Union.

When Primakov recovered from his thoughts, he found that the plane had landed.The all-black Chevrolet convoy at the airport awaits Primakov's arrival.After stepping into the American territory, Primakov officially maintained a state of "radio silence" with Moscow.God knows how many bugs installed by the CIA can be found in the hotel where he stayed and the vehicle he was riding in.

This secret meeting even bypassed the Soviet ambassador to the United States, and it really became an informal meeting.In the conference room heading to the White House, Primakov was thinking about what kind of attitude he should use to compete with American leaders.After all, no one wants to suffer from the Cyprus issue.

Since the victory in Morfu, the spokesperson of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who was clamoring for negotiations, suddenly fell silent. At this time, Greece strongly demanded to stop the conflict and needed the intervention of the United Nations.Both Mario and Yanayev could see that the situation on the battlefield had changed.

As an important city in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Morfu naturally wants to get it back after losing it.And the cheap Cyprus government army will not hand over the city easily.So the timing of the intervention of the UN peacekeeping force is very important.

Primakov realized that he had reached the door of the meeting room when the person leading the way stopped.The people around him stopped, indicating that only Primakov could enter the next meeting.

Primakov tidied up his clothes, opened the door with a serious face and entered.

The meeting room is not big, with a few sofas, a table, and very simple furnishings.But the people inside are inversely proportional to this simple conference room.U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine and U.S. President Mario, two heavyweight hawkish politicians sitting in the seat, gave Comrade Primakov a feeling that a conflict might break out at any time.

"With regard to the issue of Cyprus, I think the United States and the Soviet Union hope that this regional conflict can be properly resolved, and strive for an early return to the Aegean Sea, and even the stability of the Mediterranean region..."

Sure enough, Primakov's ominous premonition became a reality. He had just provoked an opening, and the US Secretary of State Madeleine, who had always been stern, began to attack Primakov, "Wait, it seems that the Soviet Union is not How come the Mediterranean countries have started to interfere in NATO's internal affairs?"

Primakov smiled, and he knew that today's negotiations were not that simple.Faced with Madeleine's aggressive aura, Primakov just retorted indifferently, "Then the United States is separated from Europe by the Atlantic Ocean, why is it also starting to intervene in the affairs of Mediterranean countries?"

Primakov's counterattack made Madeleine not know how to answer, no matter what she said, there was a feeling of forceful words.Simply bypass this topic and enter the negotiation stage.

"But it is an ironclad fact that the Soviet Union supported Greece in provoking a civil war in Cyprus. They kept saying that they wanted to maintain peace, stability and development in the region, but in the end, they were not acting on the surface?"

"Wait." Primakov made a pause gesture, and he asked Secretary of State Madeleine to recall what the United States had done, "Did you forget one thing. The reason why the Cypriot army provoked the civil war It’s not about the Soviet Union, everyone knows that after Secretary of State Madeleine visited Cyprus and Greece, the two sides began to have conflicts. So whether it is the United States or the Soviet Union, people with a discerning eye can tell it at a glance, right?”

The Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs and high-level personnel are proficient in various debates. Although Madeleine was aggressive at the beginning, she couldn't stand at all. On the contrary, she was forced to have nothing to say by Primakov.

Primakov raised his legs, his expression still abnormally flat.Even President Mario, who was sitting on the sidelines and hadn't spoken yet, felt a little bit sorry for the Secretary of State he had picked out by himself.First, he was severely criticized by Shevardnadze on a diplomatic occasion, and then he was completely abused here by the Soviet special envoy Primakov.Mario genuinely felt that you should never try to argue with Soviet diplomats, or they would overwhelm you with their brilliant arguments and erudite quotations.

President Mario even wanted to see what was in the minds of these Slavs?

"Isn't the focus of the debate between the two sides now is whether this civil war should be ended early and the United Nations should be involved? The Soviet Union has always supported it. For the stability and unity of the Mediterranean region, we have an obligation to do so."

Mario didn't think so. Everyone knew that the Soviet Union took advantage of this crisis to obtain the permanent right to station an air force military base in Cyprus.Although this makes Britain feel very uncomfortable.However, in the face of the highly variable northern regime, the top British officials believe that it is safer to cooperate with Cyprus.

"What if the United States thinks we shouldn't interfere in a country's internal affairs? And the current United Nations is dominated by Americans." Madeleine narrowed her eyes with a fierce look.Like a cobra eyeing Primakov.It makes people feel a bit cold.

Faced with Madeleine's threat, Primakov was fearless, and he replied very calmly, "Then I think this war will end with a complete victory for the Cypriot army, that's all."

Chapter 572 Don't Back Down, It's War

"Okay, Secretary of State Madeleine, let me chat with Special Envoy Primakov." Mario greeted the lady secretary of state, who was obviously not Primakov's opponent, to step back.Instead, go into battle by yourself.For him, Primakov is just a mouthpiece, and what he is facing is actually the wily man behind Primakov, Comrade Yanayev, Mario's deadly enemy.

Although Madeleine was a little aggrieved, but Mario's order had to be carried out, she could only choose to shut up.

However, Primakov does not seem to intend to let the poor Secretary of State go. For a while, everyone who has dealt with her hates the kind of person who talks about the greatness of the United States interfering in the interests of other countries.Secondly, Madeleine's hawkish personality and fiery temper also made her a target in the national society and became the target of everyone's attack.

In fact, Madeleine did not do anything wrong. If she wanted to blame her, she could blame her opponent for being far stronger than she imagined.Everyone who builds up good feelings from the illusion that the "Soviet Union has declined" will eventually be slapped hard by reality, without exception.

Mario straightened his expression, and he said to Primakov, "In fact, everyone knows the purpose of Primakov's visit to Washington this time. Regarding the issue of Cyprus, we also hope that Turkey and Greece can reach an agreement. , reached a ceasefire agreement, but you know, the historical conflicts between the two sides cannot be controlled by us. If all regional conflicts can be decided through UN rulings, then the world will be much more peaceful.”

Mario told Primakov in disguise that they don't want to take care of this matter for the time being.When Turkey gains an advantage, the United States will use the power of the United Nations peacekeeping force to suppress the situation firmly.

After all, Annan, who is currently supporting the top position, is just a chess piece that is better manipulated than Gali.

"But..." Primakov said, "The Soviet Union will not give up its efforts to stabilize the situation in Cyprus. For us, the stability of Cyprus is in line with the stability of the Mediterranean situation. And people who have this idea are not only Only the Soviet Union, and another country thinks the same way."

"U.K."

Primakov moved out of the British seat, telling Mario that the Soviet Union was not alone in wanting to see stability in Cyprus.Although the British Air Force Base in Cyprus has lost its duty to protect the Suez Canal, it is very important for them to quickly intervene in regional conflicts in any country along the Mediterranean Sea.

In short, this is a very important springboard for the United Kingdom. Even though the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom have not yet reached an agreement, both sides are on the same line when it comes to protecting Cyprus.

President Mario didn't speak. Obviously, he was considering an issue, which was the attitude of the United Kingdom.

It is inevitable for Britain to oppose the turbulent situation in Cyprus. After all, he also wants to keep a strategically important area in his hands. Therefore, Tony Blair seems a little cautious on this issue. He does not want to offend the United States, but also wants to ensure the safety of the British air force base.The degree of dilemma is the same as the attitude of the United States during the Suez Canal crisis.

Thinking of this, President Mario decided to gamble one more time. He shook his head and said with some regret, "It's a pity that the chances of Prime Minister Blair cooperating with the Soviet Union are too small. After all, the United Kingdom is a member of NATO. There is no close alliance. Do a few nuclear power plants want to buy Britain? It is so naive."

Primakov saw that the first card he played had no effect, so he was about to play the second card, "Oh? Really? Is President Mario so sure that Cyprus or Greece will lose?"

"Isn't the Cyprus National Guard the strength of an armored brigade? This strength is not enough for the Turkish army." President Mario mocked.The CIA has already figured out the bottom line of Cyprus. Without a strong military strength and logistics system as a guarantee, even if Greece aids Cyprus with more equipment, it will be difficult to fundamentally improve the war.As for the so-called Morfu victory?Mario just smiled, as long as Maziel invested the strength of two divisions in this place, Cyprus could swallow it and spit it out completely.

"Indeed, for Cyprus alone, defeating a powerful Turkey is indeed a big problem." Primakov said with old-fashioned emotion, "After all, the opponent they met was the Turks with the strongest expansion ambitions. Well. But I have a question, I don’t know if I should ask, if there is a war, how likely is the Turkish armored force to defeat the Soviet steel torrent?”