I know that Cyprus is an island in the Mediternean and that half of it is occupied by ethnic Turks and the other half by ethnic Greeks and that relations are tense between Greece and Turkey over but I’ve not the foggiest idea who it really belongs to or the history about it so I thought I’d ask you lot here to enlighten me since Gupshup is the fount of all knowledge.
Re: Cyprus
Cyprus was orginally populated by Greeks. The Uthmani Khalifat conquered it in 1570. The Uthmanis began encouraging Turks to settle throughout Cyprus. They were a majority in the north, but were also spread throughout the island.
In 1878, Russia and the Ottoman Khalifat were at war. The Russian army was about to reach Constantinople, and was on the verge of capturing the Khalif and annexing the Khalifat to become part of Russia.
Britain was afraid of the power this would bring to Russia. They struck a deal that the Khalif would surrender Cyprus to the British Empire, in exchange for British military assistance. The Royal Navy sailed to Constantinople, and intimidated the Russians into accepting either peace. Britain saved the Khalifat and gained Cyprus.
Fast forward 80 years. Britain gave independence to Cyprus in 1960, but many greek cypriots wanted to be unified with Greece. They attempted a coup that triggered a civil war against Turkish cypriots, who wanted Turkey to be independent. The greeks cypritos were militarily superior, so turkey invaded cyprus to secure Turkish communities. The Turkish community declared independence. Both the Greek and Cypriot parts expelled residents from the other ethnicity and the island was partitioned.
In the meantime, the Greek cypriots felt betrayed that greece did not help them like Turkey helped the Turks. Because of this, they no longer wanted to be unified with Greece.
The rest of the world did not acknowledge that Turk declaration of independence. With the threat of Cyprus joining Greece gone, most countries apart from Turkey held the view that they should go back to the pre-civil war unified state, since the catalyst for the war (the desire to join greece) was no longer there.
But the civil war left a lot of scars, bad feelings, and both the Turks and the Greeks on Cyprus both want the other side to make compromises before unification.
The UN sponsored a unification plan a couple of years ago. The Turks agreed to the compromises in it but the Greeks didn't. The plans limited the number of refugees who were allowed to move back to their pre-partition homes. The Turks were okay with not many of them being allowed to return to their homes in Greek Cyprus, but the Greeks were outraged that not all greeks expelled from Turksih Cyprus would be allowed to return. The Greeks rejected the plan.
Re: Cyprus
Thanks a lot man, that was really informative, concise and to the point. 
:k:
The reason I asked was because the goray at work are staunchly pro-Greek and anti-Turk on the issue, I couldn’t really give my two aaney because I hadn’t the faintest clue about what’s what but now I’m prepared to defend the Turks and demonise the Greeks by morring and phering a few facts.
The bit about the Caliphate gifting the island to Britain and allying with Britain against Russia is interesting, what was the Greek position on British rule and the prospect of Russians invading? Who did they prefer? Or were they neutral?
Re: Cyprus
Basically Turkey and Russia were at war in 1850’s.
Russia was militarily superior and was an enemy of England and France.
England was fearful that Russia might expand into Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan and threaten India.
So England decided to help Turkey.
It was called the Crimean War fought in 1856.
Anyways, Greece just got its independence from Turkey in 1825 I think. Greece was a minor player. It was weak militarily and was dependent on foriegn powers for assistence.
My opinion on the matter of Cyprus is that,
It should become a seperate country.
Turkey should remove its Army from there.
Re: Cyprus
I was in Greece recently, and found that it's people resent all their neighbours. They hate Turkey and Albania the most, followed by Macedonia whose name they refuse to accept, and barely get on with Bulgaria. They love the Muslim-butchering Serbs though.
Turkish Northen Cyprus should become independent or become part of Turkey.
Re: Cyprus
There is a lot of discrimination in Greece. In fact Grecce along with Italy and Denmark is considered to be most racist country in Europe.
Re: Cyprus
I never experienced racism when I was in Greece...
Then again, I didn't speak Urdu while I was there, nor did I wear a Shalwar Kameez or was chewing Paan and staring at skantily clad greek women as well.
When Pakistanis go to these countries and still behave like they are in interior Punjab region, how else are the Greeks or any other European people going to react to these backward behaviours?
Re: Cyprus
So, it's okay for a scotsman to wear a kilt and play a bagpipe in Greece, but not okay for a pakistani man to wear his shalwar kameez and chew on pan?
Yuo = Uncle Tom.
STFU.
Re: Cyprus
Then again, I didn't speak Urdu while I was there, nor did I wear a Shalwar Kameez or was chewing Paan and staring at skantily clad greek women as well.
When Pakistanis go to these countries and still behave like they are in interior Punjab region, how else are the Greeks or any other European people going to react to these backward behaviours?
Well the thing is not dress code but look. Ask non european looking people in greece and you will get the horrible stories. I have many friends who have lived in Greece. Who were erupean looking were never approached but who were asian looking were discriminated at every level, be it the common people or government.
Re: Cyprus
Dude I went to a beach in Holland.
I saw a bunch of Pakistanis there, dressed in Shalwar Kameez, basically to stare at girls in bikinis.
Its irritating and annoying.
These people who go there, have no concept of western society...
How else do you expect the natives to react?
Re: Cyprus
Within Greece itself you will find huge discrimination against every non-Greek ethnic minority - Albanians, Macedonians, Romani's and Turks.
Re: Cyprus
I saw a bunch of Pakistanis there, dressed in Shalwar Kameez, basically to stare at girls in bikinis.
Its irritating and annoying.
These people who go there, have no concept of western society...
How else do you expect the natives to react?
Which beach in Holland. I am sure they will be Pakistanis not living in Netherlands.