"Britain has a duty in Cyprus
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Yusuf KANLI
Britain is the former colonial power of Cyprus, naturally besides many other geographies. Not only was Britain the former ruler of Cyprus, it was also one of the founders -- together with Greece, Turkey and the two peoples of the island -- of the Cyprus Republic in 1960. Under the founding agreements of the Cyprus Republic, Britain not only maintained two sovereign bases -- Akrotiri and Dikelia -- on the island, but is also one of the three guarantor powers of Cyprus, together with Turkey and Greece. In other words Britain is in no position to wash its hands and stay away from the Cyprus problem as if it is a matter between the two peoples on the island and the two �motherlands� Turkey and Greece. Indeed, since the 1974 Turkish intervention on Cyprus following an Athens-engineered coup against Archbishop Makarios by Greek Cypriot supporters of �enosis� (union with Greece), British diplomacy has been very active in Cyprus peacemaking efforts in contrast to its almost total ignorance of its responsibilities as a guarantor power all through the 1963-1974 period. "
More:Britain has a duty in Cyprus - Turkish Daily News Jun 21, 2006
