in december 1963 the president of the republic makarios proposed thirteen constitutional amendments after the government was blocked by turkish cypriot legislators. frustrated by these impasses and believing that the constitution prevented enosis, the greek cypriot leadership believed that the rights given to turkish cypriots under the 1960 constitution were too extensive and had designed the akritas plan, which was aimed at reforming the constitution in favour of greek cypriots, persuading the international community about the correctness of the changes and violently subjugating turkish cypriots in a few days should they not accept the plan. the amendments would have involved the turkish community giving up many of their protections as a minority, including adjusting ethnic quotas in the government and revoking the presidential and vice presidential veto power. these amendments were rejected by the turkish side and the turkish representation left the government, although there is some dispute over whether they left in protest or whether they were forced out by the national guard. the 1960 constitution fell apart and communal violence erupted on december 21, 1963, when two turkish cypriots were killed at an incident involving the greek cypriot police. turkey, the uk and greece, the guarantors of the zürich and london agreements which had led to cyprus' independence, wanted to send a nato force to the island under the command of general peter young.