Brief history
Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea south of Turkey and west of Syria became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1571. Cyprus was ceded to Britain in 1878, formally annexed in 1914 and became a Crown Colony in 1925. During the period of British rule, Cyprus had important geo-strategic value since it was on the route to India and the British presence in the Gulf as well as effectively controlling the Eastern Mediterranean and the Suez canal.
During WWII the British promised self government to the Cypriots in exchange for their support in the allied cause. Once the war was over the British rescinded their promises. The Cypriots were effectively denied their right of self-determination. By the early 1950s the movement for "Enosis", the union of Cyprus with Greece was supported by the vast majority of the Greek Cypriot population. The Turkish Cypriot minority did not agree to "Enosis" with Greece. The British colonials encouraged the Turkish Cypriots in their own movement of "Taksim" or separation of Cyprus into two parts and the union of each one with the respective mother country. The British policy at this period was effectively one of "divide and rule" between the two communities. Up to the end of the 1950s the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots lived peacefully in mixed communities.
In 1955 a Greek Cypriot guerilla movement called "EOKA" started fighting for "Enosis" against the British. A similar Turkish Cypriot organization also developed, called "TMT" fighting for "Taksim". The first instances of violence between the two Cypriot communities erupted.
On 16 August 1960, Britain granted Cyprus its independence. The Greek Archbishop Makarios was elected, while a Turk, Kücük, was elected vice-president. In late 1963, Makarios proposed a series of constitutional changes that would make the administration of the country more effective. Makarios was primarily interested in changes in domestic policy, including the limitation of the Turkish Cypriot veto power. The Makarios proposals were the result of consultations with the British side.
Around Christmas 1963 the first instances of intercommunal violence erupted. Turkey threatened to invade and Turkish bombers flew over Nicosia. In 1964 violence between the communities continued unabated. The Turkish Cypriots moved into "enclaves" separating themselves from the rest of the population. The TuAF bombed/strafed Republic of Cyprus positions (with F-84s and F-100s). Both Greece and Turkey infiltrated men and arms on the island.
In an effort to stabilize the situation the UN voted to send a peace-keeping force to Cyprus (UNFICYP) which has been on the island ever since. In 1964, US President Lyndon B. Johnson intervened and threatened the Turks with dire consequences in the case that they invaded Cyprus. From 1964 through to 1973 intermittent negotiations took place between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities in an effort to find an acceptable solution to the constitutional stalemate.
In 1967 a group of medium ranking army officers took power in Athens by force. The colonels kept on interfering in the internal affairs of Cyprus and were trying to overthrow Archbishop Makarios. In their effort to do so they used the Greek Army officers seconded to the Cypriot National Guard as well as the Greek Army contingent on the island. In 1970 they started to support a terrorist organization "EOKA B" that was fighting for "Enosis" primarily against the pro-independence Cypriots of Makarios.
In the spring of 1974 Makarios requested that Athens withdraw its officers from Cyprus. The colonels organized a coup and overthrew Makarios on July 15, 1974. What exactly happened in 1974 is still debated. There is significant evidence that the CIA (and other US services) were at least aware of the junta's plans and had not discouraged the coup plans. In Washington the US administration was going through the most stage of the Watergate scandal and the Nixon administration was on the verge of collapse. The foreign policy was totally in the hands of Henry Kissinger. The US policy was totally ambivalent concerning both the coup on Cyprus (Kissinger considered Makarios as the "Castro" of the Mediterranean) as well as the developing Turkish invasion.
On 21 and 22 July 1974 the Turks invaded Cyprus claiming that the Turkish Cypriot population was being "threatened" and that Turkey had the right to intervene in order to "restore constitutional order" under the rights granted by the treaty of guarantee of 1960 and most fierce fighting took place. During a secret operation meant to send in Greek commandos, three N2501 Noratlas aircraft were lost. One was shot down by friendly fire on approach to Nicosia airport killing all but one onboard, while the other two aircraft were damaged and were all abandoned at Nicosia airport. The Turkish Air Force had complete air superiority and kept on bombing/strafing Greek positions. A number of Turkish jets were allegedly shot down.
By July 24, 1974, the military regime in Athens had been replaced by a civilian government. Over the next few days a fragile cease-fire had been agreed on Cyprus following US pressure. In late July, Turkey held about 20% of Cypriot territory and negotiations were taking place in Switzerland. On August 14 the Turks resumed their offensive and occupied 37% of the island.
In 1983 Turkish Cypriots proclaimed a separate state, naming it the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). No country except Turkey has recognized this state.
Talks for the re-unification have been held sporadically, but Cyprus still remains divided. The Republic's purchase of Russian made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles capable of reaching the Turkish coast has further weakened relations between the two sides. Turkey's primary aim is for a co-federation of two separate countries with equal sovereign status. The Greek Cypriot objectives are based on United Nations resolutions calling for a federation of two communities into one political entity.
The Republic of Cyprus is very close to joining the European Union since it meets almost all political, economic and legal criteria. The expectation from the Greek side is that the EU accession will reduce Turkish fears and will act as a catalyst for a solution to the longstanding problem.
