THE ORIGIN OF THE CYPRUS QUESTION:THE BRITISH POLICY ON THE CREATION OF CYPRUS REPUBLIC

Year 2001, Volume: 6 Issue: 4, 0 - 0, 01.12.2001

Halil Erdemir

Abstract

Cyprus holds an important place in the United Kingdom’s foreign policy. There was a rather complex situation in Cyprus during the 1950s; the Greeks tried for enosis the union of Cyprus with Greece , the Turks resisted, arguing either for the status quo or for taksim partition , while Britain tried to quit the Island with the exception of keeping two air bases. British officials used every opportunity to preserve British influence on the Island. The Cyprus Question was the most difficult issue to the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey during the second half of the 1950s and it disturbed Turkey’s relations with Greece and the United Kingdom.