India Supports Cyprus Reject Turkey’s 2-state Solution – Free PDF Download

What has happened?

• India has backed Cyprus and expressed its deep concern on a Turkey-backed move to open the ghost town of Varosha.
• Varosha was once a popular resort town but was abandoned after the 1974 invasion of the Mediterranean island by Turkey.

• Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in response to a question at weekly virtual presser said,
• “This is an issue that the UNSC is seized off. We are deeply concerned at the recent unilateral announcements with regard to the status of Varosha.”
• “We have always advocated peaceful resolution of this issue in accordance with the UN resolution.
• Unfortunately, the voice of the UNSC as reflected in its presidential statement of 9th Oct 2020 has not been adhered to.
• We have consistently supported the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of the Republic of Cyprus,” he added.

Erdogan visit to the island

• Erdogan on a visit to divided Nicosia on Tuesday called for two separate states on the island, brushing aside a UN-backed goal of two zones with separate regional administrationsthat would remain a unified state.
• Turkey does not have “another 50 years to waste” on the Cyprus issue, the Turkish president said on Tuesday, adding that proposals for a peaceful resolution of thematter are still on the table.

Let’s understand the Cyprus issue

• In the late 19th century, the Ottoman Empire handed over Cyprus to Great Britain in return for military assistance against the Russians.
• The primary conflict then was between the people of Cyprus and the British administration of the island, with the former demanding right to self-determination or
• However, the conflict assumed an ethnic nature when the two largest demographic entities – the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – proposed varying solutions.

• While the Greek Cypriots favoured a political union of all Greeks with the constitution of a sovereign Greek state, the Turks favoured partition of the island of Cyprus between Turkey and Greece.
• What ensued was a war-like situation, assuaged by the London-Zurich Agreement which saw Cyprus attain independence.
• Archbishop Makarios, a long-standing Greek Cypriot leader, was made the President and ratified a Constitution that provided for a Turkish Cypriot Vice-President and
• A division of the civil services in a 70-30 split between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, respectively.

Coup of 1974

• Tensions began to brew in the newly-independent state. President Makarios proposed amendments to the Constitutionwas viewed as an assault on the Turks,
• Who had broken away to establish a parallel administration in the north.
• The turning point, though, was the coup of 1974 supported by the military junta of Greece which deposed the Makarios administration.

Takeover by Turkey

• For Turkey, this raised suspicion of Greek control over islands.
• As a result, Turkey invaded northern Cyprus and established the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
• The invasion led to displacement of over 1,60.000 Greek Cypriots and marked the beginning of a long military standoff between the two entities.
• It is important to note that the TRNC lacks international recognition, enjoying diplomatic relations with just Turkey.
• While the Republic of Cyprus is the officially recognised governing entity of Cyprus, with a U.N. and EU membership.
• In order to maintain stability, the U.N. Security Council deployed the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1974.

The issue now

• Erdogan’s refusal to withdraw over 30,00 troops stationed in Northern Cyprus has derailed talks, with a demand that Greek withdraw its 1,000 troops stationed in the south.

Q) Through which one of the following Straits, does a tunnel connect the United Kingdom and France?

1. Davis Strait
2. Denmark Strait
3. Strait of Dover
4. Strait of Gibraltar

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