The Archbishop
Sir: Taki Theodoracopulos tries to serve his misrepresentations with a sour sauce of humour (17 September). Indeed I deny the existence of Epikouriki. As I wrote in the Spectator on 27 August, this force consisted of Turkish Cypriots, recruited by the British and dismantled in 19591960. It will be very difficult for anybody to believe that President Makarios used Turkish Cypriots as his personal 'shod( force'.
Theodoracopulos claims that he has had 'a long and good relationship' with Lieutenant-Colonel Pantelak is Pantazis. Mr Pantazis, who is an honourable officer, assured me today that not only did he not have a long or short, good or bad relationship with your correspondent, but he has not even heard of him.
Theodoracopulos writes that 'if I do not hate the English too much to read their language' I should study his book The Greek Upheaval or the Apologia of a Dictatorship. It is precisely because I like the English that I cannot bear to see their language slaughtered with his kalarnari. Finally, Theodoracopulos claims that the Cypriots are responsible for the coup against President Makarios because they harassed and subjected the Greek officers to indignities. These Greek officers, offspring of the junta, who brought about the tragedy of Cyprus and invited Attila to the island, ought to be in jail together with Theodoracopulos, who was sentenced, in absentia, to fifteen months' goal, but runs freely in the West End abusing the Cypriots and their late President.
George Lanitis Press Counsellor, Cyprus High Commission, London W1
Previous page
