Northern Cyprus

Abstract

The Cyprus case study differs from other case studies: Firstly, Cyprus poses a unique challenge to the EU because the island has been de facto divided into two parts since the Turkish military intervention and subsequent occupation in 1974. It is split into a Greek-Cypriot southern part, the officially recognized ‘Republic of Cyprus’ (RoC), and a Turkish-Cypriot northern part, the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC), which is recognized by Turkey only. Secondly, the EU’s conditionality with regard to Cyprus is unique, too, because it officially addresses two states: Turkey, the EU’s longest-standing associate, as well as the Republic of Cyprus (RoC). Our analysis, however, will focus on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots (TC) as principal violators of international norms: Turkey with the invasion and partial occupation of the island’s north in 1974 and the Turkish Cypriots with their unilateral declaration of independence in 1983.