Cold war conflicts in the Mediterranean : Cyprus as a case study

Abstract

When one thinks of the island of Cyprus, images come to mind of its Mediterranean climate, its rich culture, and its idyllic beaches. However, this island is plagued with another reality, one that is characterised by divide and antagonism which has persisted from the moment that Cyprus got its independence in 1960. The struggle between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities has led to three crises on the island during the Cold War period, particularly the 1963-4 crisis, the 1967 crisis, and the 1974 crisis. These crises led to foreign involvement which was, in some cases, helpful to resolve said crises and, in other cases, involvement was detrimental to the interests of both communities. It is against this background that this dissertation places its study of the role played by the US and the USSR in the Cypriot conflict. More specifically, this dissertation examines the impact that the superpowers’ policies had on the conflict. Furthermore, an analysis is made of the efforts at mediation made by the US and the USSR as well as their inaction in certain points throughout the three crises in the Cold War period. Apart from just focusing on the Cold War era, this dissertation goes a step further in analysing the policies that the US and Russia pursued from 1991 up until today. Throughout the entirety of this dissertation, the argument is made that, from the Cold War period until nowadays, national interests guided the policies that both actors pursued in dealing with the Cypriot issue. As this dissertation will show, this left both advantages and repercussions on the island.