On this day in 1978, Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat declared that he no longer recognized Spyros Kyprianou as President of Cyprus in a move that was tantamount to a complete break in relations.
“There is no room for us to deal with dwarfs such as these,” Mr. Sadat said in a speech to the commandos who tried to seize a pair of armed terrorists holding hostages on a plane at Larnaca airport.
“Our recognition of him as President of the republic, and he hears me now, is withdrawn as of today,” Mr. Sadat told his troops gathered at the war ministry after the funeral of 15 commandos cut down by Cypriot national guardsmen.
The spat occurred after at least ten Egyptian commandos were killed in a late-night gun battle with Greek Cypriot soldiers at Larnaca airport.
Egyptian troops and Cypriot forces exchanged fire as the fate of hostages and their abductors aboard a Cypriot airliner lay in the balance.