The Cyprus question : latest developments and scenarios

Abstract

This thesis evaluates the latest developments on the island while focusing on the reasons of why a solution has not been founded on the island up to now. For the Greek Cypriot Side the objective is, including the whole territory of the island, to establish a sovereign Hellenic Republic in which the Turkish Cypriots are in minority status. In order to achieve this objective, they have pursued different strategies through different period of times and tried to use the EU and the UN through their own benefits. As a consequence of this strategy, the Turkish Cypriot side had been seen as an reluctant side in reaching an agreement in international area until the time at which the Annan Plan was put into referendum. In fact, the objective of Turkish side is no more than to come to an agreement providing the equal status that the 1960 treaties envisaged. The Annan Plan is far away from providing this solution, because it is an incomplete draft similar to previous ones. The reason behind the rejection of the Annan Plan by the Greek side in the referendum is the belief that they will be able to obtain more than it by their recognized position as an legitimate government of Cyprus and the EU membership. Unless the international community accepts the equality of the Turkish Cypriots, it would be very difficult to reach a consensus on the island. The future of the island will depend on not only the manner of both sides but also the third parties