United Nations General Assembly-4
Special Political and Decolonization Committee
(SPECPOL)
Agenda:
“The Question of Cyprus and the plausible
change of political demography due to
threatened partition”
Letter from the Executive Board
Greetings delegates,
It is with immense pleasure that we welcome you on board to The Bengal
Model United Nations Conference 2020, for the General Assembly Committee IV- Special
Political and Decolonization Committee. The team at BECL is working very hard to make this
conference an unforgettable one. We assure you that this one surely will be a conference par
excellence!
Given the prevailing circumstances, participation in an E-MUN serves as a welcome
distraction and we are here to ensure you the provision of a smooth and rich learning
experience.
I hope that this Background Guide serves as a starting point of your research by
broadening your understanding of the agenda at hand. It is important to note at this point, that
you should not by any means, limit your research to this background guide alone. Should you
wish to contact us at any time with any doubts or queries, feel free to fire away at the below
mentioned e-mail IDs’.
I hope we all make this committee an amalgamation of thoughtful, productive debate
and constructive diplomacy.
Happy Debating!
Manasi Bhagyashri Prabhakaran Shaikat Majumder
manasiprabhakaran17@gmail.com shaikatmajumder010@gmail.com
(Chairperson) (Vice Chairperson)
Imran Ahamed
imran.holmes@gmail.com
(Director)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the Committee
2. Introduction to the Agenda
3. Timeline of Events
4. Humanitarian Issues Involved
5. Past International Actions
6. Suggestive Solutions
7. Questions to Ponder Upon
8. Bibliography
Introduction to the Committee
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly (GA) is one of the six principal organs of
the UN established by the Charter of the United Nations (1946). The GA is divided into six
Main Committees, and each has a specific purpose. Each of the Main Committees reports their
work to the GA Plenary.
The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) considers a
broad range of issues covering a cluster of five decolonization-related agenda items, the effects
of atomic radiation, questions relating to information, a comprehensive review of the question
of peacekeeping operations as well as a review of special political missions, the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the Report of
the Special Committee on Israeli Practices and International cooperation in the peaceful uses
of outer space. In addition to these annual items, the Committee also considers the items on
Assistance in mine action, and University for peace biennially and triennially respectively
Introduction to the Agenda
Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is home to 1.1 million and has
a tempestuous history involving many actors ranging from different empires and nations of the
past to regional and global actors of today, including the UN, EU and NATO. As George
Christou highlights, the history of Cyprus “has been characterized by tension and conflict due
to the diametrically opposed interests of Greece and the Greek-Cypriots on the one hand, and
Turkey and the Turkish-Cypriots on the other”. If we add the colonial heritage, proximity to
the Suez Canal and interests of Great Britain, remnants of Cold War paranoia that the island
was to become a Russian satellite or a ‘Cuba in the Mediterranean’, the British Sovereign Base
Areas that host one of the biggest intelligence infrastructures in the region and the close links
between the Greek and Russian Orthodox churches to the equation, the protracted conflict on
the island starts looking multi-layered, multi-factored and multi-faceted.
Historically, the Cyprus conflict is usually boiled down to competing ethno-
nationalisms between Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot communities; it is usually read in
tandem with the ‘motherland’ nationalism in Turkey and Greece, is entrenched in the 1960s
constitution along consociational lines and traced back to the decolonisation period in the
1950s. At one time or another, both communities in Cyprus have linked their destinies to those
of their ethnic kin, to that of the large-group outside the island. Due to the pursuit of mutually
exclusive destinies, Cyprus suffered from inter-communal violence from late 1950s until its
decolonisation and independence in 1960. However, the newly founded Republic of Cyprus
was only ephemeral, and inter-communal conflict erupted once again only after 3 years in 1963.
Since 1964, the island hosts one of the longest-standing peacekeeping missions – The
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). The next 50 years witnessed a long
and frustrating process of inter-communal talks and several UN settlements plans, turning the
island into a ‘graveyard of diplomats’. As a result, the communities, who were psychologically
divided under the new federation, would soon become physically and demographically divided.
As such, following the Turkish intervention in response to the Greek coup on the island in
1974, Cyprus has effectively been divided in two, with Greek-Cypriots living in the southern
part under the legally recognised Republic of Cyprus (RoC) and Turkish-Cypriots living in the
northern part under the unrecognised, self-declared, administration called the ‘Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC).
Timeline of the Events
1914: Cyprus is annexed by Britain. It is also important to remember that Britain had
previously occupied the island in 1878 however it remained under Ottoman rule.
1925: Cyprus becomes a British Colony.
1959: Archbishop Makarios who was sent to exile due to support of enosis returned to Cyprus
and was elected as the President.
1960: Cyprus gains its independence. Britain, Turkey and Greece go for a Treaty of Guarantee
who means that these three states reserve the right to intervention.
1963: President Makarios raises some constitutional changes that threaten the Turkish people
about their rights. Intercommunal violence results that causes the two-community stray away
from each other
1964: United nations peacekeeping force to be set up.
1974: Military coup leads to the replacement of President Makarios by a pro-enosis alternative.
Seeing this situation Turkey intervenes and occupies third of the island. A partition is roughly
drawn of the Turkish occupied Cyprus and the rest of it. Turkey denies to withdraw troops even
after several UN security council resolutions.
1983: Rauf Denktash, the turkish cypriot ruler, declares the breakaway of the state “Turkish
Republic of the Northern Cyprus” which is only recognised by Turkey.
1996: Two Greek Cypriots are killed along the United Nations controlled ceasefire line which
becomes the worst case of violence since what happened in 1974.
1998: European Union lists Cyprus as a potential member. More than 2000 UN peacekeepers
patrol the UN controlled ceasefire line.
2002: UN sponsored talks between the Greek cypriot leaders and the turkish cypriot leaders.
2003: European Union invites Cyprus to join summit in Copenhagen on the condition that the
two communities of Cyprus join according to the UN plan.
2004: Twin referendum occurs. Turkish Cypriots endorse the UN reunification which Greek
Cypriots reject. Cyprus enters the EU as a divided island whereby the Turkish part does not get
the Eu membership.
2006: UN sponsored talks between the two parts ossur.
2008: Communist party leader Demetris Christofias wins presidential election and agrees to
revive reunification efforts.
2010: Reunification talks take place. Dervis Eroglu wins leadership in the Turkish north of
Cyprus. Peace negotiations efforts made from both sides.
2011: Right wing opposition party DISY wins election
2012: Turkish Petroleum Corporation of Turkey starts drilling for oil and gas in Northern
Cyprus. The Cypriot government calls the action illegal
2014: Cyprus suspends peace talks with the turkish-held Cypriots in what it calls a way of
showing protest from Turkey to prevent it from exploring gas fields south of the island.
2016: President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci are seen
making a joint new year television address
2018: New buffer zone crossings are opened at Deryneia in the east and Lefke in the west.
Humanitarian Issues Involved
Refugee and asylum seekers and IDPs:
The deportation of the forcible transfer of people is a crime against humanity. Cyprus
has a large number of IDPs resulting since the 1974 conflict with Turkey and large-scale
intercommunal violence. In 2002 the government of Cyprus took over refugee protection
responsibilities. Although there are provisions of movement between the two sides yet the UN
recognises the. The government of Cyprus consider the Greek Cypriots as refugees
although under the UN definition they fall under the category of IDP (Internally Displaced
People). UNHCR has provided assistance to both Greek and Turkish Cypriots from 1974-1988
until the assistance was transferred to NFICYP and other UN agencies. Depending on the status
of IDPs they are eligible for government assistance.
There were reports of asylum seekers being verbally abused by Social Welfare Service
officers and judges. NGO reports have also shown migrant detainees pressurised by the
immigration authorities to sign voluntary return consent. Reports also showed that some
asylum seekers were detained for several months which the government deemed as a security
measure.
A high number of asylums claims still remains pending as of now. Reports state a long-
time delay for the examination of asylum applications and the examination of the appeals
against the rejection of asylum applicants. The government established an International
Protection Administrative Court (IPAC) to better run the system however its effectiveness is
yet not evaluated. The republic of Cyprus also provides temporary protection to people who do
not qualify as refugees as was for the Syrian people.
According to the Turkish Cypriots authorities the internal displaced ended in 1975 with
the Vienna III agreement. An intermediary NGO handled the cooperation between the UNHCR
and the Turkish-Cypriot authorities. According to UNHCR reports, asylum seekers were
generally treated as illegal migrants due to a lack of official framework for asylum. Most such
cases were deported or denied entry even though the risk of refoulement remained. Turkish
Cypriot authorities consider those displaced due to the 1974 division to be refugees even
though the UN definition terms them as IDPs. Refoulement of asylum seekers from Turkish
administered areas as they were deported from the ports. However due to involvement of the
human rights associations and UNHCR some improvements were seen. There is no law dealing
with access to asylum or protection of refugees.
Human Rights Violation and Discrimination:
In Cyprus it has been reported that in general the human rights laws and rules are
generally in place. However, NGOs have at times complained that the Office of the
Ombudsman had at many instances ignored their complaints on the basis that they were similar
to the ones made earlier. European Commission against Racism and Intolerance had also stated
that the office had not carried out its responsibilities in protecting the vulnerable group’s rights.
The legislative Committee on Human Rights has discussed several issues regarding human
rights including trafficking in person, violence towards women and children prison conditions
and rights of foreign workers. Reports of police dismissing case of sexual abuse on women and
children were reported. Sexual harassment stayed a major problem due to lack of support to
the victim and fear of reprisals.
Women experienced discrimination in employment and pay in the private sector.
Reports of verbal harassment of the Jewish community was also noted. Violence against female
domestic workers is also noted. Acts of violence against Turkish Cypriots by Greek Cypriots
were reported and several the office of ombudsman. Antidiscrimination laws are in place in the
state. Even after the existence of legal protections, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
intersex (LGBTI) faced societal discrimination. Foreign migrant workers, children, and asylum
seekers were particularly targeted to become victims of forced labor.
In the Turkish Cypriots controlled northern region the human rights groups have raised
voices regarding the poor condition of the central prison as major problems of overcrowding,
no separate facilities for adults and juveniles and no correction centers for children were in
place. It has also been claimed that detainees were abused by the members of the police as there
was no surveillance present. The treatment of detainees even for court trials remains an issue
as some courts did not allow the lawyer to be present while giving testimony. Incidents of
police also also forcefully making detainees sign a confession before bail and inducing
detainees to plead guilty was reported. Punishment by solitary confinement is also said to be
given at cases to keep the prisoners from speaking in front of their family members, meeting
them or a lawyer.
Cases of police putting surveillance of Greek Cypriots and Maronites exists even after
the law forbidding to do so. Freedom of speech and expression is not seen to be in a solid stance
as journalists have been seen to be threatened and physically and verbally abused. Violence
against women and children was also another issue regarding human rights. Sexual harassment
stayed largely unreported due to the societal discrimination and views towards the matter. It
has been also reported that forced labor is evident in the areas and mostly in the agricultural
sector coupled with child labor. Domestic violence also remains an issue of concern. Racial
discrimination against migrating Kurds and African students was heavily reported.
Past International Actions
There are several international organizations and countries that play a great role in the Cyprus
dispute. The notable of them are –
United Nations
On the 4th March 1964 resolution, 186 was adopted by the Security Council to establish
UNFICYP (United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus). At present, there are 834
personnel deployed. Argentina has contributed the greatest number of troops whilst Ireland
contributed the greatest number of police. It was created to prevent any more fighting between
the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities and as per the foreign ministry of Cyprus to tackle
the threat of an imminent Turkish invasion. However, following the events of 1974 the council
has bestowed the force to perform some additional duties under resolution 383 adopted on 13th
December 1975. Several resolutions were passed that expressed concern over the humanitarian
issue over there and to eliminate that peace talks were encouraged.
UN resolutions 33/15, 34/30, 37/253 et.al. in UNGA disapproved “all unilateral actions
that change the demographic structure of Cyprus”. The human rights commission in resolution
1987/50 expressed concern over the “influx of settlers and calls for respect for the rights and
freedoms of the population of Cyprus.”
In 1992, back then Secretary-general Boutros Gali came up with “Set of Ideas”. It was
a reunification plan for the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders for a negotiation. It covered
different areas to ensure a sustainable deal but the Turkish Cypriots demand for international
recognition prior to any settlement had made it futile.
The United Kingdom
Despite high level of backing by British PM Boris Johnson, the UN-brokered
negotiations in Switzerland collapsed in 2017. Britain was disappointed with this failure as
being a former colonial ruler of Cyprus, in 1960 it was granted independence. In 2008, the
United Kingdom and Cyprus signed a memorandum of understanding emphasizing on
developing stronger relationships between the two countries. Britain wants a reunited Cyprus
that will ensure prosperity and development for Cyprus.
Based on the 1960 treaty of establishment Akrotiri and Dhekelia are to be recognized
as British sovereign territory and therefore remain under their jurisdiction. Britain maintains
military-based over there, as a strategic point in the eastern Mediterranean. British forces over
there also work with the UN forces over there.
European Union
Amidst the negotiation between the EU and Cyprus for annexation, there were talks
about unification by Turkey and TRNC. Turkey even viewed the annexation into the EU
resembling the complete partition of the Island.
In 2004 Cyprus joined the EU, it was hoped that very soon the Island would be reunited
but the 2004 referendum proved it otherwise. The EU recognizes Cyprus to be the Greek
Cypriot, this Cyprus has veto rights over the Turkish dream to join the EU. The deadlock in
the Cyprus issue has also restricted Turkey’s entry into the EU. Despite the backing and
funding of the EU in several meetings, the Union had almost little to no say. They have not yet
cleared their view of Turkish troops which needs to addressed according to some experts.
The EU does not want to lose this issue as already their diplomatic credibility was
brought under question during the Yugoslavian crisis.
Russian Federation
Russia wants a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus issue; the two countries share
friendly relations with several meetings between the head of the states. The countries signed
dozens of bilateral agreements strengthening their diplomatic relations. Russian and Cypriot
parliamentarians co-operate in the framework of the Council of Europe.
In May 1998 the Russians were about to place the S 300 missiles in Greek Cypriot
region escalating the tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots
The United States
The United States views the status quo as unacceptable and supports reunified bizonal,
bicommunal federation. The United States also believes that the UN-mediated peace effort is
the best way to solve the crisis. They want the crisis to be over as both the countries over the
year signed several treaties and have a common interest in the field of peace, trade, and
maintaining good ties with the EU.
Commonwealth
The organization expressed its solidarity with Cyprus and wants a peaceful political
settlement. They support UN resolution 365 & 367 that called for the removal of all foreign
troops and wants urgent care to be given to the refugees. They have meetings with the UN
secretary-general and make recommendations regarding the crisis, the organization strongly
condemn the declaration of TRNC as an independent nation. The organization welcomed its
accession into the EU and expressed its resilient support for Cyprus as a sovereign nation. The
Commonwealth expressed its willingness to work with the UN for a peace settlement and
vouch for unified, single citizenship and political equity in Cyprus.
Council of Europe
The issue of Turkish settlement in the occupied part of Cyprus has been brought under
the Council of Europe twice. The council condemned the “naturalization” of the settlers and
views that it is changing the demography of the region.
Suggestive Solutions
Solution Scenario 1: A Reunited Cyprus:
This solution opts for one free state for the complete Cyprus. This solution has been in
the talks since 1974 and could be a possible end to the problems in both sides. For this solution
to be in place it is required by the key related parties Greece, Turkey and Britain Turkish
Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. The two parts are to be united and single international
sovereignty. The use of any sort of force is to be completely denounced. There will be one
government in charge of the whole area and elections to be conducted with the participation of
all citizens. This would also mean Cyprus maintaining its own armed forces and parliament
and other facilities as a country and EU member.
Solution Scenario 2: Each state for its own: The Two State Solution:
This solution is to enroll the Republic of Cyprus as a single independent state away
from the influence of Greece, Turkey and Britain. This will also mean that The Republic of
Northern Cyprus will also have its own free state away from the influence of external forces.
It will join the UN as a separate nation. The displaced people and claim on property are to be
dealt with and each nation to have its government and parliament where all citizens of the
proper age. The Turkish-Cypriot authorities are also to decide the role of Turkey in the
sovereign state. The membership of the two sovereign states in the European Union will also
be of question.
Questions to Ponder Upon
1. Is a referendum or a plebiscite the way to go about knowing what the citizens want?
2. Which one is a feasible solution- partition or reunification?
3. Discuss the external influence of parties to the situation and how this is impacting the way
to a long-lasting peace.
4. What are the most challenging issues that will face each side is unification is decided upon?
5. What could be the consequences of a two-state solution in the political dynamics of the
regions?
6. What should be the ideal form of government in a reunified Cyprus that will facilitate peace
talks?
7. What measures should be taken to ensure the property rights of Greek as well as Turkish
Cypriots?
8. On what basis and how should the power be distributed among both the Greek & Turkish
Cypriots?
9. Addressing the station of British troops in the two regions of the Island.
10. How to ensure equal treatment of both the Greek & Turkish Cypriots to ensure long-lasting
peace that will facilitate peace talks?
Bibliography
• https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-cyprus/
• http://www.mfa.gov.cy/mfa/mfa2016.nsf/All/84B0D52B469C940DC2257F9C00371222?
OpenDocument
• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyprus-timeline/timeline-key-events-in-cyprus-
idUSTRE5A94N320091110
• https://www.voanews.com/europe/timeline-cyprus-events
• https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/cyprus/ ;
• https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1429634/1226_1523956664_document.pdf :
• https://www.unhcr.org/cy/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2019/05/Cyprus-Fact-
Sheet_updated_MAY2019.pdf
• http://www.hlrn.org/img/violation/Cyprus_Overview_Jun09.pdf :
• https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-country-reports-on-human-rights-
practices/cyprus/cyprus-the-area-administered-by-turkish-cypriots/
