● One island, two peoples
Turkish possession until the First World War and the dislocation of the Ottoman Empire, Cyprus officially became a British colony in 1923 and remained so until its independence in 1960. At the time of annexation by the English, the population was 80% Greeks (Orthodox) and 20% Turks (Muslims).
In 1964, friction between the two communities, fueled by paramilitary extremists on both sides, was such that the UN Security Council adopted resolution 186 and created a peacekeeping force (UNFICYP).
Objective: to intervene between the two factions.
The ace!
Ten years later, Ankara's army invaded the north, in response to a putsch by Greek ultranationalists aimed at reuniting Cyprus with Greece.
Read also:
Turkey advances its pawns in the northern part of Cyprus
After the ceasefire, the UN contingent will have to ensure security in a buffer zone, called the “green line”, which stretches over 180 kilometers and which de facto cuts the island into two entities: the Turkish-speaking part in the north. (38% of the area
This article is for subscribers only.
You still have 74% to discover.
Subscribe: 1 € the first month
Can be canceled at any time
Enter your email
Already subscribed?
Log in