Undoubtedly, Cyprus has discovered its place within the fashionable world as one of the superior states with a protracted democratic custom, after wandering within the Non-Aligned Motion in the course of the Chilly Warfare. Nonetheless, the island has did not resolve its most necessary drawback, the deep political divide that separates it into two areas.
One, managed by the federal government of Cyprus and led by the Greek Cypriot neighborhood, is totally built-in into the EU. Within the different area, the northern half, run by the Turkish Cypriot neighborhood, there may be sturdy political and navy affect from Ankara. Cyprus has joined the EU with its complete territory, however the European acquis is suspended till the Cyprus drawback is resolved.
The UN and the EU help the reunification of the island right into a federal republic. They reject the partition into two Cypriot states. Solely the answer and reunification of the island will deliver peace and stability to Cyprus and freedom from Turkey’s navy presence on 37% of its territory. So long as the Cyprus drawback stays unresolved, the 2 Cypriot communities will stay alienated and friction with Turkey will proceed to complicate the EU’s relations within the area.
2024 additionally marks a lot of different, albeit unhappy, anniversaries for Cyprus: The Turkish invasion and occupation that divided the island in 1974 after the then Greek navy regime staged a coup in opposition to the Cypriot authorities. One other 60 years have handed because the first bloody riots between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in 1964. Since then, the UN has maintained a peacekeeping power on the island to stop the worst from occurring.
A missed alternative
In distinction to the EU’s historic path, Cypriots have failed to make use of EU membership as a catalyst for reunification, cooperation and reconciliation on the island. The principle causes for this are the dearth of political management amongst Cypriots for mutual compromise and the fixed confrontation with Turkey, which has its personal sturdy pursuits in Cyprus.
A brand new strategy that brings Turkey nearer to the EU (enhanced customs union, visa liberalisation) and the Turkish Cypriot neighborhood on a standard path with th…
