From: jameskerlindsay
Cyprus, a Mediterranean island, has been the site of the world’s longest-running major ethnic conflict [00:00:18], leading the United Nations (UN) to establish its longest-running peacemaking and peacekeeping mission there [00:00:21], [00:00:26]. For over six decades, the UN has spearheaded international efforts to broker an agreement between the island’s Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities [00:01:27], [00:01:31].
Establishment of the UN Peacekeeping Force
The Cyprus Dispute escalated into fighting in December 1963, leading to the collapse of the joint government [00:05:21], [00:05:30]. Peace was temporarily restored in March 1964 when the United Nations established a peacekeeping force on the island [00:05:33], [00:05:37]. Despite this, UN-led efforts to secure a political agreement over the following decade were largely unsuccessful [00:05:42].
Continued Efforts and Setbacks
Following the 1974 Turkish invasion, which divided the island [00:06:07], the UN persisted in its efforts to reach a settlement [00:06:31].
Key developments and challenges in UN efforts include:
- Federal Arrangement In 1977, the sides agreed that any solution would be based on a bizonal, bicommunal federal arrangement with two territorial units corresponding to the two communities [00:06:36], [00:06:40], [00:06:44].
- Unilateral Declaration of Independence In November 1983, the Turkish Cypriots unilaterally declared independence, establishing the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (TRNC), which is only recognized by Turkey [00:02:02], [00:02:04], [00:06:51]. This move was widely condemned by the UN Security Council, which urged member states not to recognize the new entity [00:06:56], [00:07:00].
- Deadlocked Talks Despite talks throughout the 1980s and 1990s, negotiations remained deadlocked, largely due to the intransigence of the Turkish Cypriot leadership, backed by Turkey [00:07:05], [00:07:10].
- The Annan Plan (2004) As Cyprus prepared to join the European Union, a new UN initiative was launched [00:07:19]. In 2004, the UN proposed a reunification plan that was largely endorsed by the international community and accepted by two-thirds of Turkish Cypriots [00:07:24], [00:07:28], [00:07:32]. However, it was rejected by three-quarters of Greek Cypriots in a referendum [00:07:34].
- Conference on Cyprus (2017) Settlement efforts continued, with the most recent major UN initiative being a conference on Cyprus convened in 2017 [00:07:42], [00:07:47]. This effort, like many before it, failed to achieve a breakthrough [00:07:48].
Challenges for Future Settlement
After almost 60 years of UN efforts [00:00:28], many observers believe a settlement is nearly impossible [00:07:53]. While the theoretical framework for a settlement is understood and could be achieved quickly with political will, the primary obstacle is the lack of political will within both communities [00:10:25], [00:10:33], [00:10:36], [00:10:38]. Discussions about a future settlement include determining the nature of a peacekeeping force [00:10:10]. The younger generations, rather than fostering moderation, are increasingly detached from shared experiences, viewing the “other side” as foreign [00:13:40], [00:13:50], [00:13:56], [00:14:02]. This diminishing common ground makes a UN-brokered agreement increasingly unlikely [00:14:11], [00:14:17].