Foreign relations of Cyprus

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Cyprus

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Cyprus

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Cyprus has historically followed a non-aligned foreign policy, although it increasingly identifies with the West in its cultural affinities and trade patterns, and maintains close relations with Greece.

The prime originator of Cypriot non-alignment was Makarios III, the first President (1960-77) of the independent republic of Cyprus. Prior to independence, Makarios - by virtue of his post as Archbishop of Cyprus and head of the Cypriot Orthodox Church - was the Greek Cypriot Ethnarch, or de facto leader of the community. A highly influential figure well before independence, he participated in the 1955 Bandung Conference. After independence, Makarios took part in the 1961 founding meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade.

Diplomatic relations of Cyprus. Dark blue: Cyprus; Blue: Embassy level; Light blue: Consulate level.^[1][2][3]

Reasons for this neutrality may lie in the extreme pressures exerted on the infant Republic by its larger neighbours, Turkey and Greece. Intercommunal rivalries and movements for union with Greece or partial union with Turkey may have persuaded Makarios to steer clear of close affiliation with either side. In any case Cyprus became a high-profile member of the Non-Aligned Movement and retained its membership until its entry into the European Union in 2004.

Immediately after the 1974 Greek-sponsored coup d'etat and the Turkish invasion, Makarios secured international recognition of his administration as the legitimate government of the whole island. This was disputed only by Turkey, which currently recognises only the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, established in 1983.

Since the 1974 crisis, the chief aim of the foreign policy of the Republic of Cyprus has been to secure the withdrawal of Turkish forces and the reunification of the island under the most favourable constitutional and territorial settlement possible. This campaign has been pursued primarily through international forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, and in recent years through the European Union.

Cyprus' 1990 application for full EU membership caused a storm in the Turkish Cypriot community, which argued that the move required their consent. Following the December 1997 EU Summit decisions on EU enlargement, accession negotiations began 31 March 1998. Cyprus joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. To fulfil its commitment as a member of the European Union, Cyprus finally withdrew from the Non-Aligned Movement on accession.

The Government of Cyprus enjoys close relations with Greece. Cyprus is expanding relations with Russia, Israel, and Syria, from which it purchases most of its oil. In the past it had some difficulty with both Israel and Egypt.

In the case of Israel, Cyprus has occasionally outwardly backed the Palestenians in the Arab-Israeli conflict, to the annoyance of some in the Israeli government. Cyprus, like over 100 other countries, officially recognizes Palestine as a de facto state. The island is also host to a number of Palestinian and Lebanese refugees. The expulsion of two alleged Israeli spies from the island in 1998 also caused tension between the two governments, who are now said to enjoy good relations. However, relations between the two countries suffered when Lila-Irene Klerides, the wife of then-President Glafkos Klerides, was declared Persona Non Grata in Israel after her attempt to meet with Yasser Arafat, who was under house arrest.

Egypt is a close ally, sharing as it does an oilfield with Cyprus. The relationship between the two countries was also strained in February 1973 when Cypriot National Guardsmen shot dead Egyptian Commandos at Larnaca International Airport when the commandos attempted to intervene in a hostage situation.

Cyprus is a member of the United Nations^[4] and most of its agencies as well as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Council of Europe, and the Commonwealth of Nations. In addition, the country has signed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Agreement (MIGA).

Disputes - international: The 1974 invasion of the Turkish army divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally recognised Cypriot Government (59% of the island's land area) and a Turkish Cypriot area (37% of the island) which declared UDI in 1983, that are separated by a United Nations Buffer Zone (4% of the island); there are two UK sovereign base areas mostly within the Greek Cypriot portion of the island.

Illicit drugs: Cyprus is a minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well. The island has also been criticised for supposedly lax arms control legislation.

[edit] Footnotes

See also : Cyprus

Foreign relations of Northern Cyprus