Cyprus which is the third biggest island of Meditterenean Sea was conquered by Ottomans from Venicians in 1571.Britishes who wanted to equalize Russians in the Middle East got hold of Cyprus in 1878.Ottoman had hired Cyprus to Britain up to 1914.When Ottoman Empire entered World War I against the entente powers-Britain, France and their allies-Britain announced that she had invaded Cyprus.Turkish Republic approved this in Lousanne Treaty in 1923.
Emergency of Makarios: Violence begins
Makarios was elected as Arcbishop in 1950.then ENOSIS(Union with Greece) activities gained speed and Greece accepted ENOSIS and applied Britain to make Cyprus united with Greece.Britain refused this offer.In 1954 Greece Government applied United Nations for the issue.But UN refused to discuss the issue, too.Greek Cypriot atrocities began against British forces and were forcing Britain to solve the problem.
International discussions began in London in order to find a solution on 29 August 1955, but it was ended without reaching its goals on 7 September 1955.Meanwhile Greek Cypriots established a secret organization called EOKA on 1 April 1955.EOKA militants were trained by Greek Colonel, Grivas.This terrorist organization first murdered about 400 Greek Cypriots who did not support ENOSIS and then murdered Britishes and lastly murdered lots of Turkish Cypriots. After 3 years later on 1 August 1958 Turkish Cypriots established TMT (Turkish Resistance Team) in order to protect Turkish villages against EOKA atrocities, but could not so successful because of lack of organizing and weapons.
Britain improved a solution of self-determination principle, but Greece refused this solution.Again Greece applied United Nations for the issue and UN offered to solve the problem with relevant countries.Greece opposed this offer with claiming that Turkey is not "relevant country".In 1958, Britishes offered a plan of Mc Millian which keeps in mind a transfer period with British and Cyprus representatives, but again this plan was wholly refused by Greece and Makarios.
Establishment of Cyprus Republic
At the end NATO, United Nations and European Council decided to discuss the issue.Then Turkish and Greek representatives met in Zurich on 5 January 1959 and signed a treaty of guarantee.This treaty was discussed by Turkey, Greece, Britain, Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots and approved.According to this treaty in January the 19th Cyprus Republic is an independent state.Turkish and Greek Cypriots would administrate their internal affairs with their own community councils.Common affairs would be administrated by a common performing organ.President would be a Greek Cypriot, assistant would be a Turkish Cypriot.Constitution would be guaranteed by Turkey, Greece and Britain.The same treaty had been giving rights to the Guaranteers to make a military intervention in order to re-establish the state of affairs created by the present treaty. Negotiation between Greece and Turkey was provided.Also treaty provided Britain to keep her military bases in Cyprus.
Violated Constitution
Greek Cypriots began to violate the constitution as soon as it was signed.Some paragraphs have never been installed.As a result of violations of constitution by Greek Cypriots, German Professor Forsthroff, who was the president of Cyprus Constitution Court, resigned.Arcbishop Makarios offered some changes in the contitution on 30 November 1963.The purpose of these changes was taking back the rights of turkish Cypriots and making them a minority.Makarios wanted to violate all rights of Turkish Cypriots which were given them in London and Zurich Treaty.Turkish Government refused these changes one week later.
When these offers were refused by Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots started committing mass-murders against Turkish Cypriots all over Cyprus as an application of Akritas Plan in the December of 1963.Turkey announced that she would take action if common or concerted action may not prove possible according to treaty of London and Zurich .
On December the 27th a common force was established and the discussions began between relevant countries in London on 10 January 1964, but Makarios refused all kinds of offers and discussion was enede on 31 January 1964 without reaching its goals.
UN established a peace-keeping force in Cyprus in 1964 and green line was drawn between Turkish and Greek communities.Un appointed a negotiator between relevant countries to solve the problem.But this period had taken a long time and Greek Cypriots increased the pressure on Turkish Cypriots.So that Turkey decided to take a military action.
Mass-Murders were going on in Cyprus
Mass-murderings of Turkish Cypriots began in 1964 again.Turkish Government had to send air-crafts and bomb military bases of Greek Cypriots, but this limited police action could not stop mass-murders against Turkish Cypriots, just made slower.
Meanwhile Greece transported 20.000 Greek soldiers to Cyprus and on November 1967 Greek and Greek Cypriot Forces attacked two Turkish villages in order to force them immigrate and leave Cyprus.Turkish Government took a decision of taking action again, but USA stooped it.Meanwhile a military coup emerged in Athens and Colonels Junta had taken the administration of Greece from civilians.So ENOSIS(Union with Greece) idea was not too possible in the short-run for Makarios and he had got into serious conflicts with the Junta.
Innocent mother and her children slaughtered by fanatic Greeks in 1974. The Turkish intervention was not soon enough to stop this massacre but put an end to many others.
The Samphson Coup and Turkish Intervention
On 15 July 1974 Greek Junta organized a coup against Makarios, but Makarios could succeeded to escape from his burned and looted palace by Junta supporters and were taken to London by Britishes.The new president was Nikos Samphson who took important roles in mass-murderings of Turkish Cypriots and he was a member of terrorist organization EOKA-B.Purpose of the coup was ENOSIS(Union with Greece)This action meant the violation of 1960 constitution wholly .So Turkey, as a guaranteer power according to London and Zurich Treaty, applied Britain for the common and concerted action to re-establish the state of affairs created by the London and Zurich Treaty.When Britain refused this apply, on 20 July 1920 Turkey took action and intervened the island to prevent the mass-murders of turkish Cypriots and ENOSIS according to her right given her in London and Zurich Treaty.When Turkish Troops landed Girne, they stopped and obeyed the cease-fire of UN.Talks between Turkish, Greek and British representatives began in Geneva.But Greece refused a long-lasting solution and strived to create time to sned troops to Cyprus.So Turkey had to organise a 2nd. Peace-keeping Operation to prevent the mass-murders of Turkish Cypriots who were sieged, left hungry and thirsty by Greek Cypriot National Guard.But Turkish Trrops could not prevent the massacres of Atlılar, Murataga, Sandallar and Tashkent.Meanwhile as a result of Turkish Peace-keeping Operation the military Junta had resigned and a civilian government was installed in Athens.Former Greek politician Constantine Karamanlis had returned From France, where he was living in exile, and became the new Prime Minister of Greece.Thus the Peace Operation had resulted in the reinstatement of democracy in Greece.
TRNC-Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
As a result of Greek and Greek Cypriots' unnegotiable attitudes, Denktash and his friends decided to establishment of TRNC on 14 November 1983.Greek Cypriots refused all offers of Turkish Cypriots in the talks.In international forums an anti-turk campaign was started and recognization of TRNC has been prevented as an independent state.Although all these bad and bitter experiences of Turkish Cypriots, TRNC has not been recognized, but Turkish Cypriots demand to be recognised.
Turkey believes that a just and lasting solution in Cyprus can be possible only if two communities consider each other political equals and agree on the creation of a bi-zonal and bi-communal federal state. The cyprus issue emerged in 1963, three years after signing of the London and Zurich Treaties in 1960, when the Greek Cypriots attempted to destroy the partnership status.Turkish Cypriots were forced to live in sub-human conditions for 11 years and suffered and died in the face of attacks and massacres.
In 1974, when Greek Cypriots tried to unite Cyprus with Greece, Turkey used her rights as a guarantor power and intervened in the island. Since then, there has been peace and order on the island. The Turkish Cypriot people, living on their own land and under the roof of their Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, have consolidated their democratic and constitutional institutions in safety and security.Turkey supports the goodwill efforts of the United Nations Secretary General on the Cyprus question. The Secretary General continues his mission to try to help the two sides to reach a solution.
Turkey believes that the international community should treat the two sides equally, and should urge Greek Cypriots to be more accommodating and should acknowledge the fact that any solution needs to be based on the existence of two communities on the island.