Omirou seeks to set the record straight over S-300 debacle
SOCIALIST LEADER Yiannakis Omirou yesterday said former President Glafcos Clerides’ recollection regarding the S-300 missiles fiasco was inaccurate.
Omirou, who was Defence Minister at the time in question (1998), held a news conference to give his version of events leading up to the cancellation of the installation of the long-range anti-aircraft batteries in Cyprus.
His explanation was precipitated by a book released just recently by Clerides, titled Documents Of An Era: 1993-2003.
In it, the 88-year-old Clerides writes of a crucial meeting between the Cypriot and Greek leaderships on December 17, 1998.
At around 9am on that day, Clerides says, he received a phone call from an aide, who said he had an “urgent message” from Greece’s Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos. The latter had told his Cypriot counterpart Omirou, with whom he had met privately, that he was ready to back “our position”, i.e. bringing the missiles to Cyprus as planned.
However, during the subsequent meeting between Clerides and Greek leaders, including Premier Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Tsohatzopoulos about-faced, citing military analysts who said it would be better for the weapons to be installed on Crete so as to provide air cover to Greek fighters.
But according to Omirou yesterday, no such meeting took place on December 17.
“Mr Clerides has obviously confused dates, persons and events. As a result, historical truth has been distorted.”
In Omirou’s account, the first meeting between the Cypriot and Greek political leaderships took place on August 17, 1998. At that meeting, Tsohatzopoulos “kept a promise” he had made to Omirou the previous day that that he would support the installation of the S-300s in Cyprus.
The next high-level meeting in Athens was held on November 27 of the same year. According to Omirou Greek premier Simitis – opposed bringing the missiles to Cyprus – argued that they instead be taken to Crete.
And contrary to Clerides’ claim, Simitis did not offer to share in the political cost arising from the cancellation of the purchase.
“In fact Mr. Simitis categorically refused Clerides’ request that the Greek government put in writing its position that the missiles should go to Crete, pointing out that any decisions were up to the Cypriot government.”
On December 29, following a third meeting in Athens between Clerides and Simitis (Omirou says he was not present), it was decided that the missiles would be purchased but deployed on Crete.
“Nevertheless,” said Omirou, “Mr Clerides avoids making mention of the efforts to secretly transfer the missiles to Cyprus.”
According to the former Defence Minister, Clerides had been mulling over this prospect several months prior to the scheduled delivery of the Russian-made weapons system.
Omirou says that in May 1998 Clerides told him to explore the possibility of “securely and secretly” bringing the missiles to Cyprus.
Omirou contacted the manufacturers, with whom he devised a plan to that end. Clerides then gave the go-ahead.
But just a week before the plan’s execution, Clerides changed his mind.
“Mr Clerides invited me to the Presidential Palace, where to my astonishment he asked me to abort the operation. He justified his decision by saying that the tourist season was upon us, and that it would be unwise to increase tensions in the region.”
In closing, Omirou said he has kept a meticulous record on the S-300 missiles affair.
“For now, I will restrict myself to correcting the inaccuracies noted in Mr Clerides’ book. In time, however, once I deem that there is no danger to national security, I shall disclose full details on what happened.”
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