ABSTRACT
The island of Cyprus occupies a strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean linking Europe and the Middle East. Culturally and demographically the island has for long been predominantly, but not exclusively, Greek although it was never part of the Greek state which emerged from 1830 onwards. The island’s annexation by the Ottoman Empire in 1571 established a Turkish interest in Cyprus, hardly surprising given its proximity – about forty miles – to the Turkish mainland, and a significant Turkish minority settled on the island. To the Greek and Turkish interest was added in the nineteenth century a British one. In 1878 Britain gained control of Cyprus from the Turks, who still retained nominal sovereignty, as part of a defence agreement the aim of which was to block Russian advances towards British possessions in India. 1 The island’s strategic value to Britain diminished somewhat when, in 1882, Britain occupied the Suez Canal zone which was better located to defend Britain’s imperial interests. Yet Cyprus was considered sufficiently important to be annexed de facto by the British in November 1914 and to fall under British sovereignty by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
