The role of the European Union in the solution of the Cyprus dipute in the light of the United Nations-Led settlement efforts

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore the role of the EU in the settlement of the Cyprus dispute in the light of the UN-led settlement efforts whether it is a failure and targets to fınd out the basic reasons, if it is a failure. The EU membership of the Greek Cypriotcontrolled “Republic of Cyprus”, on behalf of the whole island, has changed the dynamics of the dispute by deepening the island’s economic and political division in favour of the Greek side. Moreover, the settlement proposals of the UN, EU and Turkish side differ in the sense that while the two organizations support a bi-zonal and bicommunal federal state, the Turkish side insists on the recognition of the TRNC in exchange for its unification with the Greek Cypriots. Although the parties’ EU integration prospects can contribute to a compromise, illegality of the EU membership of the GCA according to the 1960 system, misperceptions of the EU related to the parties’ expectations, partiality and incredibility of the EU policies and ineffectiveness of its policy methods have led the Union’s failure. Relying on official UN and EU documents, on historical and legal facts and on literature works, this thesis reaches to the conclusion that the EU’s success in contributing to a permanent solution in the Cyprus dispute has been very limited contrary to the expectations from it.