ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the persistence of a particular political platform in the affairs of Cyprus since her independence in 1960. EOKA's rebellion, together with the climate of world, opinion and internal policy developments, convinced the British that it was cheaper to give Cyprus independence, than to hold on to it. Greeks and Turks in Cyprus tasted the bitter fruits of inter-communal violence; and the Greek Cypriot population was given harsh lessons in national identity. The Turkish community equally quietly expressed opposition to the idea. Since the start of the Greek War of Independence in 1821 the influence of Greek nationalism had stirred the surface of Cypriot life, but had been firmly repressed by the Ottoman rulers. The Ottoman Empire dominated the island from 1573-1878, when it allowed the British to occupy the island. The Enioen Komma broadly supported a constitutional, negotiated settlement with the Turkish community through intercommunal talks, private property, business interests, anti-communism, and Greek nationalism.
