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Abstract
The question of a partitioned Cyprus after World War II has become an especially sensitive and complex question of the modern international community. The paper analyses the history of Cyprus, starting from the time the Republic of Cyprus attained independence, the covering the Turkish invasion of the island and the declaration of independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to the present day. It gives an overview of relevant United Nations resolutions with special reference to United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). The whole problem of the Republic of Cyprus and the self-proclaimed and by International Law not recognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and illegal occupation that lasts for more than three decades is analysed from the aspect of International Law. Some of the most important plans regarding a solution to the Cyprus problem are also presented and their advantages and shortcomings are commented.
Keywords: Cyprus, International Law, intervention, human rights, United Nations, independence, secession
I. Introduction
Due to its specific geographic position, Cyprus has always been interesting to various conquerors throughout its history. The Ottoman Empire conquered the island in 1571 and kept it as late as the year 1878 when, fearing the expansion of Russia after the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), the Turks ceded the administration of Cyprus to the British. On the basis of the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) Turkey formally recognised British possession of Cyprus. Shortly after that Cyprus became a British crown colony and retained that status until it gained independence in I960. What makes the Cyprus problem additionally complicated and more complex, but also different in relation to all other problems United Nations has dealt with, is the fact that from the beginning the Cyprus issue involves at least five different parties: Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Great Britain, Greece and Turkey1. Both Greece and Turkey worsened the already difficult situation in Cyprus by their unrealistic requests. This conflict refers to co-existence of two different peoples that have lived on the island for centuries - Turkish and Greek Cypriots. These two peoples have different languages, cultures, country of origin and religion, as well as political goals and interests. The only thing they have in common is intolerance towards the other ethnic group.
It is...