ABSTRACT
It is not surprising that most Turkish Cypriots dislike the use of the word ‘minority’ when it is used in a political context vis-à-vis the Greek Cypriot community. They are troubled that Greek Cypriots and the bulk of the international community view Cypriot society and possible solutions of the Cyprus problem in majority-minority terms. Yet even so, the fact is that Turkish Cypriots have governed themselves in their self-declared state in northern Cyprus for three decades. Established in 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has functioned like many states in the international community: its government maintains effective control over its territory and provides a myriad of services to its population. Its leadership can boast a mandate achieved through free elections. Nevertheless, in spite of its seeming endurance and sponsorship by such a powerful regional state as Turkey, the TRNC has been shunned by most of the international community.
