Human rights and Cyprus

The Greek Cypriots claim that the Cyprus problem was caused by the landing of Turkish troops in 1974 and that if only they would withdraw, the problem would be solved. This is a serious misconception, for modern Cyprus question began in 1960 and the landing of Turkish troops was the consequence, not the cause, of the problem. Cyprus is a complex political issue. İt ultimately revolves around one fundamental fact: the existence of two distinct oeoples on the Island, namely the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots; and their relationship.The Island of Cyprus, which is geographically an extension of the Anatolian peninsula, has been a land of many conquests due to its proximity to the Middle Eastern countries and its strategic location at the cross-road of East and West. Cyprus has seen a succession of rulers, namely Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders and Turks who ruled the Island as part of the Ottoman Empire, from 1571 until 1878. Cyprus has never been a Greek Island.İt is both useful and important to keep in mind that there has never been in Cyprus a "Cypriot nation" due to the distinct national, religious and cultural characteristics of each ethnic people who, in addition, speak different languages. İt is also interesting to note that although the two peoples had lived together in the Island for centuries there were practically no inter-marriages and not even a single commercial partnership was set up. İn March 1963 Archbishop Makarios said 'The (Independence) Agreements have created a State, but not a Nation." (The Greek Cypriot Cyprus Mail 28.3.63) This being so, any approach to the Cyprus question which regards Cypriots as one nation would be fundamentally flawed. There are, in fact, two peoples of Cyprus - the Turkish Cypriots numbering about 200.000 and the Greek Cypriots numbering about 700.000. The Turkish Cypriots are mainly Moslems and the Greek Cypriots are mainly adherents of the Greek Orthodox Church. Cyprus lies 40 miles from the coast of Turkey, and Turkish people have inhabited the island since the 12th century. The Island is 250 miles from the nearest Greek island (Rhodes), and Athens is 460 miles away.The Greek and Turkish Cypriots lived relatively peacefully until Greece gained its independence from the Ottonvur. in 1821. The Greek Cypriot agitation for "Enosis" (the union of Cyprus with Greece), perpetrated by the Greeks, was furt her intensified with the change of administration in Cyprus (from Turkish to British) in 1878. The ultimate aim of the Greeks and Greek Cypriots was to oust the British and annex Cyprus to Greece and in order to Hellem'ze the entire population of the Island.The Greek Cypriots, in conspiracy with Greece launched a violent campaign for annexing the Island to Greece in 1955 the terrorist organization EOKA, undert the guidance of Archbihop Makarios, indiscriminately murdered everyone in their way, the British (the then colonial rulers) the Turkish Cypriots and even some of their kinsman, who were apposed to the idea of ?Enosis?.Today the Cyprus guestion can perhaps be summarized as follows: The partnership Rebuplic formed in 1960 between the two peoples of Cyprus lie in a new political integration in an arms length relationship based on willing and active cooperation between two peoples, each secure in its own customs, traditions and identity.