Cyprus dispute Totally Explained

Everything about Cyprus Dispute totally explained

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The Cyprus dispute is today the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Since the arrival of the British on the island of Cyprus, the "Cyprus Dispute" was identified as the conflict between the peoples of Cyprus and Great Britain as a colonial ruler. The core of the dispute was Cypriots demand for self determination. Britain shifted the "Cyprus Dispute" from a colonial dispute to a dispute between Turks and Greeks although Britain had denounced the agreement between herself and Turkey over Cyprus, and declared Cyprus as a British colony. Today, the problem has involved Turkey, Greece, the United Kingdom, the USA, the United Nations and recently the European Union. Since 1974 the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus has been divided. The dividing line which cuts across the country has created a physical and social barrier between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot Communities. The Turkish Cypriot community declared itself Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, condemned by UN Security Council Resolutions as legally invalid. Currently it's only recognised by Turkey.

Historical background prior to 1960

Cyprus experienced an uninterrupted Greek presence on the island dating back to the arrival of Mycenaeans around 1600 BC.. The Greek population of Cyprus survived through multiple conquerors, including Egyptian and Persian rule. In the 4th century BC, Cyprus was conquered by Alexander the Great and subsequently ruled by the Ptolemaic Egypt until 58 BC, when it was incorporated into the Roman Empire. Except for an interval of Arab rule (643-966), the island remained under Roman (and later Byzantine) rule until the 12th century. After an occupation by the Knights Templar and the rule of Isaac Komnenos, the island in 1192 came under the rule of the Lusignan family, who established the Kingdom of Cyprus. In February 1489 it was seized by the Republic of Venice, and then between September 1570 and August 1571 conquered by the Ottoman Empire, starting the Turkish occupation of Cyprus. Conquering soldiers were given land grants on condition that they become permanent settlers, usually land which was stolen from Greeks that would be forced to become Rayah.
Starting in the early-nineteenth century, Greek Cypriots sought to bring about an end to almost 250 years of Ottoman rule and unite Cyprus with the Greek nation state. The call for that aim, called enosis, grew louder after Britain took administrative control of the island in 1878, to prevent Ottoman positions from falling under Russian control following the Congress of Berlin. Under the terms of the agreement reached between Britain and the Ottoman Empire, the island would remain an Ottoman territory. When the Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers, Britain denounced the agreement and all Turkish claims over Cyprus and declared the island a British colony.
The Christian Greek-speaking inhabitants of the island welcomed the arrival of the British as a chance to voice their demands for union with Greece and an end to Islamization and ill treatment as Ottoman rayah. Bishop Kiprianos welcomed Sir Garnet Wolseley as the first high-commissioner in Cyprus with a speech. In his speech, the bishop noted "We accept this change gladly, because we believe that Great Britain will help Cyprus unite with its mother Greece". Sir Garnet Wolseley replied "your demands will be looked into". Speaking on the election result, Mehmet Ali Talat stated that "this forthcoming period will be a period during which the Cyprus problem can be solved within a reasonable space of time – despite all difficulties – provided that there's will".. Christofias held his first meeting as president with the Turkish Cypriot leader on 21 March 2008 in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia. At the meeting, the two leaders agreed to launch a new round of "substantive" talks on reunification, and to reopen Ledra Street, which has been cut in two since the intercommunal violence of the 1960s and has come to symbolize the island's division. On 3 April 2008, after barriers had been removed, the Ledra Street crossing was reopened in the presence of Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials.

New negotiations

A first meeting of the technical committees was set to take place on 18 April 2008, and high-level talks are expected to begin at the end of June 2008. Talat and Christofias met socially at a cocktail party on 7 May 2008, and agreed to meet regularly to review the progress of the talks so far. Reportedly, the technical negotiations started in a very positive and constructive atmosphere. The negotiators have already started to discuss highly contentious subjects like the constitutional court or the authorities of the federal institutions, and the atmosphere remained good.
A second formal summit was held on 23 May 2008 to review the progress made in the technical committees. While the two leaders failed to decide on a timetable for substantive negotiations, they agreed to meet again in the second half of June to make another assessment.

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