The Cyprus issue has become one of the most important foreign policy issues of the Turkish Republic. This paper will examine the progress and history of the Cyprus issue. I will also examine the effects of this event in Turkey-EU relations and Turkish policy about Cyprus.
History of the Cyprus Issue
Since 1931, Greek Cypriots have intensified their demands for unification with Greece. Between 1954 and 1958, the Greek Cypriots, who tried to solve this demand for unification in the United Nations, started an act of violence in the island by establishing an organization called EOKA in 1955. Greece has not made a decision in favor of ENOSIS from the UN, and Turkey has continued to defend the Turkish Cypriots in the meantime. Negotiations began in Zurich in 1959 to solve the problem, and the “Republic of Cyprus” was established in 1960 under the London and Zurich agreements.
The short tranquility lasted until 1963. In 1963, The Greeks argued that the 1960 Constitution had to be amended and prepared a list of proposals for it. The Turks rejected the constitutional proposal, which restricts the rights of Turks. After this, the Greeks started attacking the Turks systematically. Violence against the Turks in island has increased, and the three guarantor countries together have created a protection force.
In 1964, the UN peacekeepers were deployed to the island. In the meantime, Greece began to send troops secretly to the island, the number of soldiers have reached 20,000. In 1967 there was a coup in Greece. The junta who took over the administration tried to negotiate with Turkey to achieve the purpose of ENOSIS. The Greek Cypriots, who could not conclude the negotiation, started attacking the Turkish villagers. The attacks ended with the possibility of intervention by Turkey. Greek troops had to withdraw from the island under the auspices of the UN.
In 1974 the conflicts between the Greeks increased and Nikos Sampson, the leader of EOKA, made a coup. Nikos Sampson wanted EOSIS to happen. Turkey launched the Cyprus Peace Operation on 20 July 1974 to protect both the territorial integrity of Cyprus and the security of Turkish Cypriots. After the successful conclusion of the operation, in 1975 the parties agreed to exchange populations and Cyprus was divided into two separate regions. These two sections are separated by an “intermediate zone” extending for 180 km and ranging in width from 5 meters to 7 km.
Today, over 800,000 Greeks live in Southern Cyprus and 290,000 Turks live in Northern Cyprus.
Impact of Cyprus Issue on Turkey-EU relations
The politics of Turkey towards the west has emerged as an object of membership to the European Union. For nearly half a century, international politics has been shaped accordingly. But one of the biggest problems we face in this process is undoubtedly the Cyprus problem.
Following the acceptance of the Southern Cyprus as a full member of the EU, the Cyprus issue has been transformed into a settlement between two EU members, one candidate country and the other unrecognized state. In the EU negotiations with Turkey, the Cyprus problem has thus become a key issue and has been accepted as a precondition for full membership.
Negotiations between the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot at the United Nations have been far from success. However, the reason for this lack of results is due to the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriot side. The most important step taken in the direction of the solution is the Annan Plan presented for the approval of both sides in 2004 by a referendum. The plan was rejected by the Greek Cypriots, but accepted by the Turkish side. After the Annan Plan referendum, EU and UN have pointed out that the rejection of the plan is frustrating. Greek Cyriot Side accepted as a member of EU in 2004, the economic and social pressures on the Turkish Cypriot side continued and caused a new actor to have to struggle during Turkey’s EU accession negotiations.
Cyprus, which became a political problem between Turkey and the EU in the late 90s, became a precondition for Turkey’s membership after becoming a full member of the Greek government. In December 16-17, 2004 at the EU Summit, Turkey issued a declaration that it will sign Customs Union Harmonization Protocol with the new members, but that it would not mean recognition of Greek Cypriot side, and than EU explained that negotiations would not progress unless Turkish ports were opened to Greek Cypriot side’ vessels. In this regard, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is very determined, and expresses that the ports will not be opened and the Greek Cypriot side will not be recognized unless the pressure for the Turks is lifted and the settlement is reached.
The point reached today is that the Greek Cypriot side implements the advantage of being a member of the EU as a trump card against Turkey. Turkey is under pressure from the EU to be recognized as the legitimate government of the Republic of Cyprus.
Turkey’s Policy on Cyprus
The Cyprus problem officially began to take place in the agenda of Turkey in 1954. As far as this is concerned, Turkey has agreed to pursue a silent policy against Greece, which seeks to capture the island of Cyprus. After this date, Turkey’s policy on Cyprus has passed three stages. In the first stage; Arguing that Cyprus was taken from Turkey by England, defended the thesis of “annexation” which means that the island is to be returned to Turkey in its entirety. In the second phase; Turkey accepted the “taksim” thesis, which means sharing the island of Cyprus as a result of the political and economic conditions of the period and the oppression of Britain. In the third stage; Turkey accepted the solution for the establishment of a Federal Republic of Cyprus, which the British imposed. As a result of this settlement, in 1959 Zürich and the Treaties of London were signed and the Federal Republic of Cyprus was established under the guarantee of England, Turkey and Greece.
After these agreements, Turkey tried to use the UN platform to solve the problems. Problems that can not be solved in the UN have caused terror in the island. The increase in the terrorist incidents in Cyprus attracted a lot of reaction in the public opinion of Turkey. The Turkish government considered that the situation in Cyprus is too serious to require a military intervention. Turkey decided to use the right to intervene as a guarantor state by the Treaty of Zurich and London. Before using the right to intervene in Turkey, Turkey tried to act together in with another guarantor state, England. During the negotiations with England, the Turkish Armed Forces decided to make preparations. After the Turkish delegation returned from London without a positive result, preparations were made at the military. On the morning of July 20, 1974, the Turkish army began to take off air and remove it from the sea at 6:05 am. A cease-fire was declared on July 22, according to Article 5 of the Resolution 353 of United Nations Security Council. The Republic of Turkey argued that the operation was carried out in accordance with Article 4 of the Zurich and London Treaty. But the United Nations and the Council of Europe consider this operation an invasion.
As a result of this intervention of Turkey, the junta’s administration in Greece and the government of Nikos Sampson in the Republic of Cyprus abandoned their duty. The 1974 Operation was the beginning of a new era in the Cyprus problem. The problem in that period was solved the Cyprus issue, but Cyprus issue is on the agenda of the international community after 40 years because the present situation can not be solved in any legal grounds.