Cyprus. The need for new perspectives

Book abstract:

The likelihood of Cyprus joining the European Union in time for the European Parliament elections in 2004 seems to have provided extra stimulus for the divided island to resolve its dispute of the last twenty-seven years. This book therefore comes at an opportune time, providing the reader with an overview of the history of the dispute and an analysis of the current issues and the ways forward.

The book begins by tracing the history of Cyprus from its colonisation in the thirteenth century BC right up to the UN meetings in Switzerland and New York in 1997. It then focuses on the 1960s, examining the ongoing issues between the two ethnic peoples of the island after it became the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. Part II of the book concentrates on each side's - the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots - perception of the issue while Part III analyses Greek and Turkish policy approaches to the Cyprus issue. The role of the European Union as a 'catalyst' in resolving the dispute is discussed in Part IV with one chapter focussing on the relationship between Turkey, Greece and the EU and the other assessing Cyprus' possible membership of the European Union. Part V discusses the strategic importance of the area, examining the military factor in the Eastern Mediterranean and the security concerns which Cyprus poses for Turkey. The final part of the book looks at the current situation, assessing the international status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the prospects for the future.

This book will be of use to all those interested in the dispute surrounding one of the EU's most likely future members providing them with a thorough analysis of both sides of the conflict.