Abstract:
The thesis assesses the impact of international factors on relations between Greek
and Turkish Cypriots during and after the Cold War. Through an analysis of the Cyprus
problem it explores both why external actors intervene in communal conflicts and how
they influence relations between ethnic groups in plural societies. The analytical
framework employed throughout the study draws on contributions of International
Relations theorists and students of ethnic conflict.
The thesis argues that, as in the global political system, relations between ethnic
groups in unranked communal systems are anarchic; that is, actors within the system do
not recognize a sovereign political authority. In bipolar communal systems dominated by
two relatively equal groups, the struggle for security and power often leads to appeals for
assistance from external actors. The framework notes that neighboring states and Great
Powers may heed calls for assistance, or intervene without a prior request, if it is in their
interest to do so. The convergence of regional and global interests in communal affairs
exacerbates ethnic conflicts and precludes the development of effective political
institutions. The impact of external intervention in ethnic conflicts has the potential to
alter the basis of communal relations.
The Cyprus problem is examined both during and after the Cold War in order to
gauge how global and regional actors and the structure of their respective systems have
affected relations between ethnic groups in Cyprus. The thesis argues that Cyprus's
descent into civil war in 1963 was due in part to the entrenchment of external interests in
the Republic's constitution. The study also notes that power politics involving the
United States, Soviet Union, Greece and Turkey continued to affect the development of
communal relations throughout the 1960s, 70s, and, 80s. External intervention
culminated in July and August 1974, after a Greek sponsored coup was answered by
Turkey's invasion and partition of Cyprus. The forced expulsion of Greek Cypriots from
the island's northern territories led to the establishment of ethnically homogeneous
zones, thus altering the context of communal relations dramatically.
The study also examines the role of the United Nations in Cyprus, noting that its
failure to settle the dispute was due in large part to a lack of cooperation from Turkey,
and the United States' and Soviet Union's acceptance of the status quo following the
1974 invasion and partition of the island. The thesis argues that the deterioration of
Greek-Turkish relations in the post-Cold War era has made a solution to the dispute
unlikely for the time being. Barring any dramatic changes in relations between
communal and regional antagonists, relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots will
continue to develop along the lines established in July/August 1974.
The thesis concludes by affirming the validity of its core hypotheses through a
brief survey of recent works touching on international politics and ethnic conflict.
Questions requiring further research are noted as are elements of the study that require
further refinement.
