Politics in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Abstract

Politics in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Abstract

Neither Turkey nor the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNQ
recognises the legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus, and there is absolutely
no doubt in either country about the legitimacy of the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus. This is a point worth while making at the beginning of
any account of contemporary TRNC politics because in the TRNC a deep
sense of moral indignation lies behind attitudes to the Cyprus issue and
colours local politics-in which the Cyprus issue currently looms large.
The Turkish Cypriots maintain that by means of the notorious
Akritas Plan (never denied) the Greek Cypriots made a deliberate and violent
attempt to force them to accept minority status instead of the community
status accorded them in the 1960 Constitution, and that this was intended to
be a prelude to enosis. Despite the extreme violence to which they had been
subjected, the Turkish Cyriot deputies made a request in 1965 (conveyed by
UNFYCIP) to take their seats in the House of Representatives. This was
refused unless they accepted serious limitations to their powers.1
This denies
the Greek Cypriot contention that "since 1963 the Government continues to
function without the Turkish members, who wilfully abstain from their
duties..."

Keywords

• Politics
• Turkish Republic
• Northern Cyprus