Greek Cypriot Leaders Essay, Research Paper
What is the Cyprus question? Let us hear the answer from the Greek Cypriot and Greek leaders themselves:
“I have struggled for the union of Cyprus with Greece, and Enosis will always be my deep national aspiration as it is the aspiration of all Greek Cypriots. My national creed has never changed and my career as a national leader has shown no inconsistency or contradiction. I have accepted independence instead of Enosis because certain external conditions and factors have not allowed a free choice.”
(Makarios told Le Point on 19 February 1973)
How did they intend to achieve it?
“Unless this Turkish community forming part of the Turkish race which has been the terrible enemy of Hellenism is expelled, the duty of the heroes of EOKA can never be considered as terminated”
(Makarios declared on 4 September 1963)
- The present Greek Cypriot leader, Glafkos Clerides in his memoirs entitled “Cyprus: My Deposition” described the Cyprus question as a conflict between “the Greek Cypriot preoccupation… that Cyprus should be a Greek Cypriot stale with protected Turkish Cypriot minority” and “the Turkish preoccupation … to defeat any such effort and maintain the partnership concept “.
- “Just as the Greek Cypriot preoccupation was that Cyprus should be a Creek Cypriot state, with a protected Turkish Cypriot minority, the Turkish preoccupation was !o defeat any such effort and to maintain the partnership concept, which in their opinion the Zurich Agreement created between the two communities. The conflict, therefore, was a conflict of principle and for that principle both sides were prepared to go on arguing and even, if need be, to fight, rather .
The same principle is still in conflict, even today, though a federal solution has been accepted – and though a federation is nothing more than a constitutional partnership of the component states, provinces or cantons which make up the federation.”
(From Mr Glafkos Clerides’s memoirs
“My Deposition” Vol. 3, page 105.)
How the UN, the US and other Related Counties’
Officials See Cyprus Question:
- The UN secretary-general, in his report to the Security Council dated 8 March 1990 (S/21183), described Cyprus as “the common home of the Greek Cypriot community and of the Turkish Cypriot community. Their relationship is not one of majority and minority, but one of two communities in the State of Cyprus. ” This description was also reflected in the UN Set of Ideas endorsed by the Security Council.
- President Clinton has described Cyprus as the common home of both the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots in his relevant reports to the US Congress.
- There has no! been a legitimate government capable of representing both peoples or the whole of Cyprus since the forceful ejection of the Turkish Cypriots from the government mechanism of the then bi-communal Republic in December , 1963. This is evident from the then UN secretary-general?s report to the Security Council (S/6228 dated 11 March 1965) which indicates that Makarios’ writ did not run over the Turkish Cypriots or the whole of Cyprus.
- Richard Holbrooke, the Special Emissary of President Clinton for Cyprus, at the press conference he held on 4 May 1998 at the Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer zone in Cyprus, stated the following:
“I think it is very clear and no one has disputed that Glafkos Clerides does not represent or has control over the people of Northern Cyprus. He does not deny that. It’s a fact. He said it. ”
- Among the foreign dignitaries who have expressed similar views is the Italian Foreign Minister, Mr. Lamberto Dini in a statement on 26 August 1997 he said:
“It has to be recognised that there are two republics in Cyprus, two entities, two governments. ”
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Some who cared were totally ineffective in the face of Greek Cypriot insolence. Former U.S. Under-secretary of State George Ball recalls part of a dialogue he had with Archbishop Makarios :
I was furious at such a bland reply. ? Your Beatitude,? I said, ? I?ve been trying for the last two days to make the simple point that is not the Middle Ages but the latter part of the 20th century. The World?s not going to stand idly by and let you turn this beautiful little island into your private abattoir. ?Instead of the outburst I had expected, he said quietly, with a smile. ?Oh , you?re a hard man, Mr. Secretary , a very hard man.?