Cyprus
Special Political and Decolonization Background Guide

Cyprus has been an island long ruled by other nations.  Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, and Great Britain have all ruled Cyprus in the past.  On August 15, 1960, Great Britain gave Cyprus its independence.  However, Great Britain, Greece, and Turkey, made a pact to protect Cyprus from any outside threat.  Both Greece and Turkey sent troops to protect the island nation (950 and 650, respectively). 

Nonetheless, in 1963, Archbishop Makarios, the President of Cyprus, proposed ending the power sharing agreement between Greece, Turkey, and the UK.  This led to violence, forcing UN Peacekeepers to intervene in 1964.  Greece supported a coup against the Archbishopin 1974, and consequently he fled the country.  Soon after, Turkey sent troops to protect Turkish communities in Cyprus.  In little time Cyprus was divided into the northern Turkish third of the island, and the Southern Greek two thirds of the island.  In 1975, Rauf Denktas was chosen as the President of the Turkish portion, and Glafkos Clerides, the President of the House of Representatives, was chosen as the leader of the Greek portion of the Cyprus. 

Over 200,000 Greek Cypriots have been killed in the Turkish invasion and occupation, while over 50,000 Turkish Cypriots were forced by Turkey to migrate to the northern portion of the island.  Eighty percent of the people of Cyprus are of Hellenic descent.  Currently, UN Peacekeeping forces have been in Cyprus since 1964. 

While this topic had seemed to die down, it was brought up again in full force with the issue of admitting Cyprus into the European Union.  Peace talks were set up in 1980, but ended in failure in 1984 with Dentkas proclaiming the new Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.  However, Turkey remains the only state that recognizes this controversial country. 

In June of 2001, the UN renewed its efforts by sending 2,400 UN Peacekeepers to patrol the border in Cyprus.  Turkey has threatened to annex Northern Cyprus if Cyprus is admitted to the EU before peace talks occur and an agreement is made.  In 2002, the UN proposed the plan of having peace talks in 2003, and if no agreement be met, then the southern portion of Cyprus be admitted to the EU in 2004.  Although no peace agreement was accomplished, on April 23, 2003, Greek and Turkish Cypriots were allowed to cross the border as a gesture of good will by both Greece and Turkey. 

The UN has remained seized in this matter since its initial actions in 1964.  Many resolutions have been passed by the General Assembly and the Security Council.  However, no UN resolution has brought a lasting peace in Cyprus.  Although both sides have made steps toward peace, Cyprus still remains a divided nation.  Both sides are overlooking current UN peace plans, and there is still a deadline of May 2004 for the Greeks and Turks to reach and peace agreement in order that the Greek portion of Cyprus may join the EU. 

In your quest to develop a feasible peace plan,  look to solutions that have not already been attempted in this matter.  Even though the topic of Cyprus is in the news even today, do not rely on plans that are being proposed by current negotiators.  The Chair urges the delegates to use creativity when developing their ideas rather than relying on tried and tested plans. 

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