THE CYPRUS CRISIS: WEDLOCK OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FORCES

This analytical study examines the Cyprus crisis as a complex interplay between internal communal divisions and external power interventions, analyzing how these forces became intertwined in what the article terms a "wedlock" of conflict dynamics. The research explores the historical roots of Greek-Turkish communal tensions in Cyprus and investigates how these internal divisions became entangled with broader regional and international conflicts. The study examines the roles of Greece, Turkey, Britain, and the United Nations in the Cyprus conflict, analyzing how external actors both exacerbated and attempted to manage internal tensions. The article assesses the impact of the 1974 Turkish invasion and subsequent partition on Cyprus society and politics. The research also evaluates various conflict resolution efforts and identifies the conditions necessary for sustainable settlement of the Cyprus problem. Furthermore, the analysis considers the implications of the Cyprus case for understanding other ethnic conflicts with significant external dimensions.

The Cyprus conflict represented one of the most intractable ethnic and international disputes of the post-World War II period, with this article providing a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between internal and external forces that sustained the crisis during the early 1980s. The research begins by examining the historical roots of Greek-Turkish communal relations in Cyprus, tracing the evolution from Ottoman administration through British colonial rule to the complex politics of enosis and taksim that preceded independence. The analysis explores the constitutional framework of the 1960 Republic of Cyprus, investigating how power-sharing arrangements between Greek and Turkish Cypriots broke down and led to intercommunal violence. The article examines the role of external actors including Greece, Turkey, Britain as guarantor power, and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in both exacerbating and managing the conflict. The study assesses the impact of the 1974 Turkish invasion and subsequent partition, analyzing how this military intervention transformed the demographic, political, and territorial dimensions of the conflict. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article develops a framework for understanding how internal communal divisions and external strategic interests become locked together in self-reinforcing conflict dynamics. The findings provide valuable insights into the complex interplay of domestic and international factors in ethnic conflicts and contribute to understanding the challenges of conflict resolution in cases where internal divisions are reinforced by external interventions.