Cyprus–NATO relations explained

Cyprus – NATO relations
Party1:NATO
Party2:Cyprus
Map:Cyprus NATO Locator Lambert.svg

Cyprus is one of four European Union (EU) member states which is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the only one not to participate in NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.[1] [2] The others are Austria, Ireland and Malta.

Background

1949–1960: Period within NATO as a British crown colony

From the formation of NATO in 1949 until Cyprus gained its independence in 1960, the territory was a crown colony of the United Kingdom and as such the UK's NATO membership also applied to British Cyprus.[3] [4]

1960–2004: Independence and non-alignment

The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus remained under British control as a British Overseas Territory following independence.[5] [6] [7] Neighbouring Greece and Turkey competed for influence in the newly independent Cyprus, with intercommunal rivalries and movements for union with Greece or partition and partial union with Turkey.[8] [9] [10] The first President of the independent Republic of Cyprus (1960–1977), Archbishop of Cyprus Makarios III, adopted a policy of non-alignment and took part in the 1961 founding meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade.[11] [12]

The 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the subsequent and ongoing dispute, in which Turkey continues to occupy Northern Cyprus, complicates Cyprus' relations with NATO.[13] [14] Any treaty concerning Cyprus' participation in NATO, either as a full member, PfP or Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, would likely be vetoed by Turkey, a full member of NATO, until the dispute is resolved.[15] NATO membership for a reunified Cyprus has been proposed as a solution to the question of security guarantees, given that all three of the current guarantors under the Treaty of Guarantee (1960) (Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom) are already NATO members.[16] [17]

Cyprus has historically followed a non-aligned foreign policy, although it increasingly identifies with the West in its cultural affinities and trade patterns, and maintains close relations with the rest of the European Union (including Greece), as well as Armenia, Lebanon, and Russia.[18] [19] [20]

The prime originator of Cypriot non-alignment was Archbishop of Cyprus Makarios III, the first President (1960–1977) of the independent republic of Cyprus.[21]

Intercommunal rivalries and movements for union with Greece or partial union with Turkey persuaded Makarios to steer clear of close affiliation with either side. In any case Cyprus became a high-profile member of the Non-Aligned Movement and retained its membership until its entry into the European Union in 2004.[22] [23] At the non-governmental level, Cyprus has also been a member of the popular extension of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Organisation hosting high-level meetings.[24] [25]

Immediately after the 1974 coup d'état and the Turkish invasion, Makarios secured international recognition of his administration as the legitimate government of the whole island. This was disputed only by Turkey, which currently recognizes only the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, established in 1983.[26] [27]

Since the 1974 invasion, the chief aim of the foreign policy of the Republic of Cyprus has been to secure the withdrawal of Turkish forces and the reunification of the island under the most favorable constitutional and territorial settlement possible.[28] [29] This campaign has been pursued primarily through international forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, and in recent years through the European Union.[30] [31] [32]

2004–present: European Union membership

One of the requirements of the 2004 enlargement of the European Union was for Cyprus to leave the Non-Aligned Movement.[33]

Cyprus is one out of four European Union (EU) member states outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the only one not to participate in NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.[34] [35] [36]

Since the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009, the EU mutual solidarity clause applies to Cyprus along with other EU member states:[37] [38]

Article 42.2 specifies however that NATO shall be the main forum for the implementation of collective self-defence for EU member states that are also NATO members.[39] The other EU member states that are outside NATO resort to the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP, which has a much smaller structures and capabilities than NATO's command structure) for the implementation of collective self-defence are Austria, Ireland, and Malta.

In May 2022, Cyprus Defence Minister, Charalambos Petrides, confirmed that the country would not apply to NATO despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[40]

Attempts to join the Partnership for Peace

The Parliament of Cyprus voted in February 2011 to apply for membership of NATO's Partnership for Peace programme. President Demetris Christofias vetoed the decision however, as it would hamper his attempts to negotiate an end to the Cyprus dispute and demilitarize the island.[41] [42] Turkey, a full member of NATO, is likely to veto any attempt by Cyprus to engage with NATO until the dispute is resolved.[43] The winner of Cyprus' presidential election in February 2013, Nicos Anastasiades, stated that he intended to apply for membership in the PfP program soon after taking over.[44] [45] His foreign minister and successor Nicos Christodoulides dismissed Cypriot membership of NATO or Partnership for Peace, preferring to keep Cyprus’ foreign and defence affairs within the framework of the EU, i.e. the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).[46] [47]

Cyprus's foreign relations with NATO member states

Since NATO member does not recognize the government of the Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus does not have diplomatic relations with Turkey.

See also

NATO relations of other EU member states outside NATO:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wemer . David . 2019-04-01 . NATO membership for Cyprus. Yes, Cyprus. . 2023-03-13 . Atlantic Council . en-US.
  2. Web site: Canada . NATO Association of . Partners for Peace?: Cyprus, NATO and the EU . 2023-03-14 . NAOC . en-CA.
  3. Web site: On this day 16th August Royal Signals Museum . 2023-03-13 . en-GB.
  4. News: Smith . Helena . 2022-05-09 . Deal allows Cyprus to develop land in British sovereign base areas . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-03-14 . 0261-3077.
  5. Web site: Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas . 2022-05-06 . UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum . 29 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220429060956/https://www.ukotcf.org.uk/europe-territories/cyprus-sovereign-base-areas/ . live .
  6. Web site: Αυτοί είναι οι χάρτες των πολεοδομικών ζωνών στις Βάσεις (Pdf) . 2023-03-13 . www.brief.com.cy . en.
  7. Web site: 2013-07-31 . Οι βρετανικές βάσεις στην Κύπρο . 2023-03-13 . NGradio.gr . el.
  8. News: 1964-02-01 . US. JOINS BRITAIN IN MOVE TO SEND FORCE TO CYPRUS; Turkey Assents and Greece Is Reported Agreeable to NATO Peace Unit . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-03-13 . 0362-4331.
  9. News: 1964-08-18 . Greece Withdrawing Units From NATO to Aid Cyprus . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-03-13 . 0362-4331.
  10. Web site: 2019-08-08 . 55 χρόνια από τους βομβαρδισμούς της Τηλλυρίας . 2023-03-13 . euronews . el.
  11. Hatzivassiliou . Evanthis . 2005 . Cyprus at the Crossroads, 1959–63 . . 35 . 4 . 523–540. 10.1177/0265691405056875 . 143884601 .
  12. Web site: Belgrade, The 1961 Non-Aligned Conference Global South Studies, U.Va. . 2023-03-14 . globalsouthstudies.as.virginia.edu.
  13. News: 1974-08-13 . NATO Is Viewed as Weakened by the War on Cyprus . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-03-13 . 0362-4331.
  14. Web site: Sullivan . Jack . 2023-01-28 . Only America Can Resolve the Cyprus Question . 2023-03-14 . FDD . en.
  15. News: Between the European Union and NATO, Many Walls . Dempsey . Judy . 2010-11-24 . . 2014-03-28 . 31 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331215418/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/world/europe/25iht-letter.html . live .
  16. Web site: NATO membership for Cyprus. Yes, Cyprus. . 2019-04-01 . 2022-06-13 . . 29 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220529020558/https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/nato-membership-for-cyprus/ . live .
  17. Web site: Wrießnig . Thomas . Cyprus, Is one of the oldest conflicts about to be resolved? .
  18. Web site: 2023-01-19 . Αναστασιάδης: Δεν θα μπορούσαμε εμείς να είμαστε το στίγμα της Ευρώπης . 2023-03-13 . euronews . el.
  19. Web site: Έλλις . Αθανάσιος . Νίκος Αναστασιάδης στην "Κ": Η Κύπρος, αξιόπιστος εταίρος της Δύσης . 2023-03-13 . www.kathimerini.gr.
  20. Web site: Sigmalive . ΠτΔ: Στενή η σχέση ανάμεσα σε Κύπρο και Λίβανο News . 2023-03-13 . www.sigmalive.com.
  21. Web site: Newsroom . Makarios: Charismatic leader or architect of catastrophe? eKathimerini.com . 2023-03-13 . www.ekathimerini.com . English.
  22. Web site: Cyprus and the EU – High Commission of Cyprus in the UK . 2023-03-13 . en-GB.
  23. Web site: Cyprus and the EU . 2023-03-13 . University of Nicosia Library . en.
  24. Web site: Afro-Asian organisations: The Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation, Executive Committee meeting in Cyprus, 10-12 September 1963 .
  25. Book: Session, Permanent Organization for Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Council . The Eighth Session of the Council of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation: 13-16 February 1967 : Nicosia (Cyprus) : a Brief Report . 1968 . en.
  26. Web site: The Moral Grounds for the EU's Obligation to End the Occupation of Northern Cyprus (ARI) . 2023-03-13 . Elcano Royal Institute . en-US.
  27. News: 2012-03-01 . Cyprus country profile . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-03-13.
  28. Web site: webteam . 2017-07-11 . "Δίκαιη και βιώσιμη λύση του Κυπριακού συνεπάγεται κατάργηση εγγυήσεων και αποχώρηση των κατοχικών στρατευμάτων" Ελληνική Κυβέρνηση . 2023-03-13 . el.
  29. Web site: Επιμονή σε λύση του Κυπριακού χωρίς εγγυήσεις και στρατό κατοχής . 2023-03-13 . www.brief.com.cy . en.
  30. Web site: Προεργασίες Χριστοδουλίδη για ενεργό εμπλοκή της ΕΕ στο Κυπριακό . Ant1live.
  31. Web site: Βλέπει θετικά ο Στιούαρτ την εμπλοκή ΕΕ στο Κυπριακό Offsite . 2023-03-13 . www.offsite.com.cy . en.
  32. Web site: 2023-03-07 . Πολιτικές προσωπικότητες της ΕΕ για εμπλοκή στο Κυπριακό . 2023-03-13 . Stockwatch - Παράθυρο στην Οικονομία . el.
  33. Ker-Lindsay . James . Shifting alignments: the external orientation of Cyprus since independence . . 22 . 2 . 68.
  34. Web site: MATSAKIS . Marios . Parliamentary question Cyprus and Partnership for Peace (PfP) E-0571/2009 European Parliament . 2023-03-13 . www.europarl.europa.eu . en.
  35. Web site: What 6 countries are not in NATO? .
  36. Web site: Tidey . Alice . 2022-05-24 . As Sweden and Finland seek to join NATO, just 4 EU states could be left out of the alliance . 2023-03-14 . euronews . en.
  37. Web site: 2008-07-04 . Cyprus ratifies Lisbon treaty . 2023-03-13 . POLITICO . en.
  38. Web site: Understanding the Lisbon Treaty . 2023-03-13 . www.robert-schuman.eu.
  39. Web site: Mutual defence clause (Article 42.7 TEU) .
  40. Web site: Cyprus will not apply for Nato membership at the moment def minister says . 2022-05-19 . 2022-05-22 . Daily Cyprus . 19 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220519165702/https://daily-cyprus.com/cyprus-will-not-apply-for-nato-membership-at-the-moment-def-minister-says/ . live .
  41. Web site: Cypriot parliament votes to join NATO's Partnership for Peace. 2011-02-25. 2012-07-19. SETimes.
  42. Web site: Cyprus - Vouli Antiprosopon (House of Representatives). 2013-02-24. Inter-Parliamentary Union.
  43. News: Between the European Union and NATO, Many Walls. New York Times. Judy. Dempsey. 2012-11-24. 2012-07-19.
  44. Web site: Cypriot conservative romps to presidential victory. Reuters. 2013-02-24. 2013-02-24. Kambas. Michele. Babington. Deepa.
  45. Web site: 2013-02-27 . Cypriots elect Anastasiades to presidency . 2023-03-14 . POLITICO . en.
  46. Web site: Cyprus dismisses reports on NATO scenarios. 2018-06-05. KNEWS - Kathimerini Cyprus. 2020-01-12.
  47. Web site: Solutions . BDigital Web . Cyprus dismisses reports on NATO scenarios . 2023-03-13 . knews.com.cy.

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