the first secret talks for eoka, as a nationalist organisation established to integrate the island with greece, were started under the chairmanship of archbishop makarios iii in athens on 2 july 1952. in the aftermath of these meetings a "council of revolution" was established on 7 march 1953. in early 1954 secret weaponry shipments to cyprus started with the knowledge of the greek government. lt. georgios grivas, formerly an officer in the greek army, covertly disembarked on the island on 9 november 1954 and eoka's campaign against the british forces began to grow.