Transcription
Look, no, not at the map. Look at this flag. This is the flag of the Republic of Cyprus. The only UN member country that depicts its borders on its flag. But the fact is, the Republic of Cyprus doesn't look like that at all. In reality, it controls only part of the island. And here is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. An unrecognized state. And this is the oldest frozen conflict in Europe. Many believe it has no solution at all. But how did this happen? How did this island become a hostage to its geography? How did the interests of three NATO countries converge here right in the midst of the Cold War? Why is it now called a convenient conflict? And why is Cyprus still divided? In general, the fate of all countries in the world strongly depends on where they are located. But Cyprus became a hostage to its geography. It is an island in the Mediterranean Sea at the crossroads of all major civilizations, amidst trade and military routes. Of course, this is a great advantage, but in the end, for Cyprus, it turned out to be a real curse. Who hasn't conquered it: Greeks, Persians, Egyptians. Alexander the Great, Richard the Lionheart, Rome, Byzantium, the Republic of Genoa, the Republic of Venice. Everyone wanted to get this island, which is so conveniently located between Europe, Africa, and Asia. The Greeks brought their language here. Rome made the island Christian. Under Byzantium, it became Orthodox. And because it was usually ruled by someone foreign, it was the church that represented the local inhabitants. It became a political institution. And this is very important for understanding everything that will happen on the island later. But this is only one part. The second began when the Ottomans arrived here. In the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire was a very powerful state. Look how many territories they had. Of course, they also conquered Cyprus, as it was so conveniently located. The local inhabitants, frankly, didn't care. They were already used to being ruled by some strangers for hundreds of years. And even if they were Muslims now, well, it wasn't a big deal. On the contrary, life was much worse under the Catholics. The Catholic Church severely oppressed the Orthodox. But the Ottoman Empire, in principle, didn't care what faith people had. The main thing was that they paid taxes. But Turks also began to move here. Very soon, they would make up about a quarter of the population. Over time, these people would be called Turkish Cypriots, and the rest of the population - Greek Cypriots. Back then, in the 15th-16th centuries, they lived peacefully together, although they still lived separately. They didn't mix much, they preserved their traditions. There were almost no mixed marriages. But this is how two peoples, two communities with different languages, different religions, and different histories appeared in Cyprus. What could have gone wrong? 300 years pass, the 19th century. The Ottoman Empire is now in decline. It is the sick man of Europe. It can no longer withstand the struggle with its neighbors. One of these neighbors is the Russian Empire. Perhaps you remember that there were many Russo-Turkish wars. This is exactly when. Cheer up, brothers, cheer up. The Turks are not waiting for us. At some point, the Ottoman Empire realizes that it needs help, and they go to Russia's other rival, Great Britain, and offer a deal. The British promise help in case of a Russian attack, and in return, the Ottoman Empire allows them to govern Cyprus. Why is Britain interested in this at all? Because just a few years earlier, the Suez Canal began operating. This is a crucial trade route. And British ships use it more than anyone else. After all, they have huge colonies in India. At some point, London even decides it would be easier to buy a share in this canal from Egypt. And to protect the route on which the entire empire's economy depends, Britain needs a base in the region. And Cyprus, with its location, is ideal. According to the treaty, the island formally remained part of the Ottoman Empire. That is, Britain could only manage it and station soldiers there. But, firstly, this will soon change. And, secondly, another very important thing happens at this moment. In the 19th century, various peoples across Europe begin to think: "Why are we part of some empire? What is this concept? Why can't we be an independent country?" This is what happened in Italy, for example. I talked about it in the last video. It unexpectedly became the most popular in the channel's history. Thank you very much for that. I'm glad you liked it. But besides Italy, there are many other such countries. For example, Greece. For hundreds of years, Greeks lived under the control of the Ottoman Empire, but then they started a war for independence, won, and created their kingdom. And even more so, Greece now wants to reclaim all its historical territories, lands where ethnic Greeks live. And one of these places is precisely Cyprus. The idea of making Cyprus part of Greece was called Enosis. And in general, it made sense, because Greek Cypriots are the majority on the island. They have lived there for a very long time. They share the same language and faith with Greece. And if the entire map of Europe is being redrawn at this time, then perhaps Cyprus will decide its own fate. And, honestly, in the 19th century, it really looked like the island was about to become part of Greece, especially when World War I began, because Turkey and Great Britain found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. And London immediately said that since it's a war, old agreements are no longer valid, which means we are taking Cyprus. Now the island became a British colony. Moreover, Britain immediately offered Cyprus to Greece if the Greeks joined the war. But the Greek king refused. In general, you see, Enosis was indeed a quite real prospect. Cyprus could have become part of Greece 100 years ago, but it didn't. And Greek Cypriots wanted it more and more. After World War I, they even tried to achieve it by force and started a revolution. They burned down several British buildings. But Britain suppressed these riots quite easily. Of course, at that time, few people thought about what all this could lead to, because there was the Great Depression, World War II was approaching, meaning there were more serious problems. But it was already clear that a conflict was brewing on the island. Greek Cypriots are ready to achieve their goals by force, and besides them, there are also Turkish Cypriots on the island, the very ones who moved here 400 years ago. Yes, there are fewer of them, but they are still a quarter of the population. And 400 years is a very long time by any standards. And it's one thing for Turkish Cypriots to live in a British colony. But to be a Muslim minority in Orthodox Greece, well, that's a completely different situation. So Turkish Cypriots begin to worry about their fate. And as often happens in such situations, their national consciousness also awakens. We are not them. We are different. So gradually, it turns out that Greek and Turkish Cypriots are no longer just neighbors on one island. They are two different peoples who want different things. Some strive to become part of Greece and are sure they have the right to do so. Others want the island to be returned to Turkey and believe that this would also be fair. They say, not without reason: "There was a treaty, Britain violated it, meaning it took the island illegally." There is logic in this, but there is no one to stand up for the Turkish Cypriots, because after World War I, the Ottoman Empire collapsed. Instead, Kemal Atatürk created a new country. This is a young state, which was still weak and could not seriously oppose the British Empire. But the most interesting thing is that while a conflict is brewing in Cyprus, Great Britain, Greece, and Turkey are allies. Atatürk really wanted to be friends with Britain. This is the main principle of his foreign policy. The British supported the young Greece, and even Greece and Turkey managed to establish good relations. They haven't become sworn enemies yet. That will happen later. This is how this puzzle begins to form, involving several sides, several states and peoples, and which will later turn into one of the most complex problems in international politics. And around this time, Greek and Turkish Cypriots get their own leaders who will play a very important role in this story. On the side of Turkish Cypriots, it is Rauf Denktash. He was born in Cyprus, studied law in Britain. Denktash was a very stubborn and persistent man. He wrote well, he spoke eloquently, although he doesn't yet know what fate awaits him. He is just working as a lawyer for now. But the second person started acting immediately. He is a Greek Cypriot from a poor family, from a small village, who decided to become a priest. And after World War II, he was made Archbishop, i.e., the head of the Orthodox Church in Cyprus. And remember that on the island, the head of the church is also a political leader. His name is Archbishop Makarios, and he was a great supporter of Enosis. He really wanted Cyprus to become part of Greece. Therefore, under him, the church led this movement. In 1950, the Orthodox Church in Cyprus held a referendum. 96% of Greek Cypriots voted for Enosis. This is a very important event, because if before we talked about protests, then now, after all, the entire Greek population has officially stated what they want. And this is already a different period. Times are changing, World War II has ended, colonies all over the world are fighting for independence. And Great Britain after the war is a completely different country, much weaker. Makarios begins to persuade Greece that Enosis must be carried out. And at first, Greece is not very interested. They have just finished a civil war. They need to defend themselves against communists. They don't want to spoil relations with either Britain or Turkey. But gradually Makarios achieves his goal. And the Greek authorities change their position. They begin to say that yes, Cyprus should be part of their country. Such a turn attracts Turkey's attention. They begin to ask themselves: "How did it happen that our island turned out to be a British colony? And why does Greece want something there? If the British are going to leave, then Greece is clearly not first in line. After all, a quarter of the population in Cyprus are ethnic Turks who speak Turkish. But you can't just take and hand them over to another country. In general, Cyprus is gradually becoming an international problem. Relations between all these countries begin to deteriorate. A small spark was enough to ignite a real fire. And very soon, it happened. A few years later, Makarios realizes that Enosis cannot be achieved legally. Britain is not going to give up its colony. And then he decides to act differently. Greek army officers are brought to Cyprus, and they begin to train soldiers from the local population. Thus, EOKA, the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters, appears. These are rebels who are ready to solve the issue by force. And in 1955, they begin an uprising. EOKA primarily fought against the British. They were enemies. The rebels attacked British soldiers, blew up buildings, set up ambushes. A real guerrilla war began. Turkish Cypriots see that the situation is taking a completely new turn. They sometimes become victims themselves and can no longer just watch from the sidelines. It was then that Rauf Denktash began his political career. He created another organization: the Turkish Resistance Movement, TMT. And now violence is coming from both sides. Britain sends 30,000 soldiers to the island. Cyprus has become a battlefield. This continued for 4 years. Moreover, Greece and Turkey no longer hid their involvement. For example, negotiations were conducted precisely with them. Various options were discussed, including dividing Cyprus into two states. But each side feared being deceived, so the negotiations failed. In the end, the only option that somehow suited everyone was a new independent state, in which power would be shared between Greeks and Turks. In August 1960, the British flag was lowered on the island, and the independent Republic of Cyprus was proclaimed. Britain, Greece, and Turkey devised a very complex scheme for how this country should be structured to take everyone's interests into account. And on paper, the plan looked logical. Look, power was divided between groups. The President of the Republic is a Greek. He is elected by Greek Cypriots because they are more numerous. Makarios won the first elections, the Vice-President is a Turk. He is elected by Turkish Cypriots. All other structures: the government, parliament, army, were divided, but everyday matters were to be resolved by Greek and Turkish Cypriots separately. Rauf Denktash was included in this structure, by the way. It seemed fair, but in practice, this scheme solved no problems at all. Tense relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots did not disappear. And to fix this, it was not enough to simply adopt a constitution, especially since it was devised by other countries. The inhabitants of the island could not suddenly feel like citizens of the Republic of Cyprus overnight, especially since this independent country was a compromise for them. Some still wanted to become part of Greece, others - Turkey, or at least divide the island. Formally, such ideas of accession were now forbidden. Also, to ensure order, Great Britain, Greece, and Turkey signed a special treaty. They became guarantor states. Great Britain retained military bases. Greece and Turkey were allowed to station soldiers on the island. And each of the three countries had the right to military intervention if necessary to protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of the Republic of Cyprus. This treaty is a small document that fits on literally three pages. It was supposed to ensure order and prevent new clashes. But in the end, it is precisely this document that will lead to one of the most complex conflicts in the world. Problems in the young country began almost immediately. Greeks and Turks in power could not agree. To get out of this deadlock, President Makarios proposed amendments to the constitution. But Turkish Cypriots felt that they were being stripped of power. And at the same time, at the everyday level, the tension did not disappear. In December 1963, events occurred that would later be called Bloody Christmas. It all started with Greek police officers stopping a Turkish car. But a routine search ended in a shootout, then protests and riots across the island. Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government in protest. That is, this whole complex scheme, which was supposed to ensure stability, lasted for 3 years in practice. And since Cyprus was now an independent state, the UN intervened in the conflict this time. Thus, peacekeepers appeared on the island, but they had too little authority. They could not stop the conflict, which was escalating with new force. People were killed on both sides. Greece and Turkey no longer hesitated to participate directly in these clashes. The situation could easily have turned into a conflict between two NATO members, in the midst of the Cold War. In general, the West feared that Cyprus could become a new Cuba, and Makarios a new Fidel Castro, because he did not hide his contacts with Moscow. And the communist party was also very popular in Cyprus, which also maintained ties with the Soviet Union. Therefore, the US, as the leader of the Western world, closely monitored the situation in Cyprus, although they did not take one side. Well, at least not constantly. For them, it was more important not to allow a war and not to let the USSR in. In general, by the mid-20th century, all possible conflicts, both political and religious, seemed to have converged on this small island in the Mediterranean Sea. The situation had reached a boiling point. And all that was needed for a full-scale war was for any of the sides to decide to take the next step. In 1967, a military coup occurred in Greece. The junta came to power. They would later be called the regime of the Black Colonels. These were radical nationalists who promised to resurrect Greater Greece. The word "resurrect" is not my invention, by the way. They used it themselves. And, of course, Cyprus was an excellent opportunity for them to realize this plan. To reclaim historical territories. It's not like this was some original move; many authoritarian regimes did something similar, for example, Argentina. This is how the Falklands War began. I also talked about this in a long episode. In general, the Black Colonels decided that it was time to bring Enosis to an end. And they also thought that Makarios was behaving too softly and needed to be removed. Therefore, they created a new version of EOKA, which was directly subordinate to Greece. And very soon, a military coup began in Cyprus. EOKA fighters shelled the presidential palace. Makarios had to flee the country, and the new president was controlled by Greece. And now there was no doubt that Enosis would happen any day now, that the Greek junta would annex Cyprus. It seemed that nothing could stop them anymore. But Turkey did not think so. Just a few days later, Turkish planes attacked strategic points. Paratroopers were landed on the island. Turkish ships transported tanks and artillery. A full-scale invasion began. Turkey advanced very quickly. This operation is generally considered one of the most successful in modern history. But for Greece, all this turned out to be a complete surprise. Just a few days ago, they were planning to annex Cyprus, and now their entire venture is turning into a catastrophe. The regime could not withstand such a disgrace. The dictatorship in Greece collapsed instantly. Once again, all this happened literally within a few days, but it was a chance to start negotiations. They indeed began. Only Turkey did not stop. Its troops continued their offensive. Initially, their goal was to protect Turkish Cypriots, but very soon they captured a third of the island. In these clashes, no one hid their hatred anymore. Thousands of people on both sides were killed and went missing. Hundreds of thousands became refugees. All of them hoped that this would not last long, that they would soon be able to return home. How legal was all this? Who was right? This is still debated. Greek Cypriots believe it was an act of aggression by Turkey. But it is obvious that Turkey did not start the conflict; it acted based on that very treaty. But it's one thing to stop a coup, and capturing a third of the island is a completely different situation. And in general, the neutral opinion on this conflict is approximately this. Turkey's invasion itself was indeed legal. But when they started capturing territories, that's a much more debatable point. For those who are interested in delving into the details, I have compiled a comprehensive summary of the entire history of the conflict. From several books and academic works that I used while preparing this video. It is available on my Patreon and Boosty pages. Many say they want to know more details from the episodes. Now I will post additional materials there. And also talk about how we make these videos. So, if you are interested, if you simply want to support the channel, you can subscribe, links are in the description, or you can become a sponsor right here on YouTube. In any case, I will be very grateful to you for that. Well, in Cyprus, the parties eventually agreed to a ceasefire. Makarios returned and became president again, but president of a completely different country, because the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus appeared in the captured territories. Its leader became Rauf Denktash. Cyprus changed forever. A completely new period began on the island. Of course, there could be no talk of Enosis. There was little hope that Cyprus would become one country again. Although negotiations were held almost every year. But time after time, belief in unification diminished, and the two peoples gradually began to live separate lives. The Republic of Cyprus had to change a lot. It lost a third of its territories: a large port, an international airport, agricultural lands, tourist cities. For example, the famous Famagusta, which was once considered the pearl of Cyprus, but it remained in the north and was abandoned for many years. The country had to rebuild its economy, which is why it became an offshore zone, and which is why it eventually focused on IT. After all, these are incomes that do not depend on land or resources. In the north, everything also changed significantly. Yes, Turkish Cypriots could now manage their own lives, but their republic is still not recognized by any country except Turkey. Their economy and trade are completely dependent on Turkey. Northern Cyprus exists in a limbo, outside international law, although internally, in many respects, it is a full-fledged state. And many people move there who, for various reasons, are comfortable with this format. And between the two parts of the island, the UN created a buffer zone, which was closed for years. During this time, Cyprus earned a reputation as a graveyard for diplomats, because no one could even come close to resolving the Cyprus issue. The last time this almost happened was in the 2000s, when the Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union. They actually applied even before the Greek coup, before the Turkish invasion, when the entire island was one state. Then, of course, this process was stopped, but in the 1990s, they returned again. The Cold War had ended, the EU planned to expand, and Cyprus was in many respects part of Europe. Although, of course, the obvious problem remained - the division. And who do you think helped? Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the new leader of Turkey. In 2002, his party won the elections, and Erdoğan's goal was Turkey's accession to the European Union. And for that, he was willing to resolve the Cyprus issue. Greek and Turkish Cypriots began negotiations again. There was an idea to make Cyprus a federation of two communities, but as many times before, they failed to reach an agreement. Greek Cypriots voted for it. But in the north, Rauf Denktash urged everyone to vote against it. And this was the last serious attempt to unite the island. It failed, and in the same year, the Republic of Cyprus became a member of the European Union. In general, for some reason, it is often written that you cannot join the EU if your country has territorial disputes. In fact, this is not true. There is no direct prohibition. There are only recommendations. And in the case of Cyprus, this issue was, of course, discussed a lot. But, firstly, at that time, it seemed that the north was precisely against unification. And it seemed unfair to punish Greek Cypriots for the behavior of their neighbors. But, moreover, many in the West believed that if Cyprus joined the European Union, then Turkish Cypriots would change their minds, that all the advantages would be too attractive. And in a sense, it did help, but not quite as expected. While negotiations were still ongoing, Rauf Denktash unexpectedly decided to open the border, that very buffer zone. Greek and Turkish Cypriots were able to cross to the other side after many years. For example, to see what had happened to their homes, which they had left 30 years ago. And in the first 2 weeks, 200,000 people crossed the border from both sides. This, for a moment, is a quarter of the island's population. But most importantly, no incidents occurred, and since then, the island's residents have been able to travel freely. This decision changed the conflict much more than any negotiations. The open border showed that Greeks and Turks can live in peace. Now many residents of the north travel to work in the south or buy certain goods that are not supplied to them. And similarly, Greek Cypriots travel to the north for cheap gasoline, to casinos, or to see a dentist, because life there is much cheaper than in the south. And many Turkish Cypriots can also obtain a Republic of Cyprus passport. Along with it, all the benefits of the European Union. Tens of thousands of people have already done so. Freedom of movement allows them to take the best from both sides. Cyprus remains one of the oldest conflicts in the world. It has been frozen for 50 years, and no solution to this problem is yet in sight. There have been no negotiations for many years. And there is a feeling that this division will never disappear. But it seems to suit everyone. The Cyprus conflict is very difficult to resolve, but it does not cause any problems. Because of this, it is even called a convenient conflict, because the tension has subsided, there are no clashes. The last victims were 30 years ago. Yes, thousands of people are still listed as missing. Yes, all these events are a great tragedy and trauma for people on both sides. Politicians still say that the Cyprus conflict is a matter of principle. But while they could not agree for decades, a whole generation of people has grown up on the island itself, for whom these events are a distant past, tragic, but distant, and for whom their life, their future is more important than old borders. Such is the story.