Cyprus Fifty Years of Conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Byline: Asst. Prof. Nahid MALAZAdegZAdeg, Assoc Prof. Haktan BAdegRSEL

There are regions in the world that cannot be shared. Kharabagh between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the Caucasus, Kashmir between India and Pakistan, Alsatl'Oren between Germany and France, the Central Balkan borders that are trying to survive through an unstable agreement in the Balkans, and Cyprus Island between Turkey and Greece in the Mediterranean. All of them are the regions that have come up with their problems by experiencing certain stages in the historical process. But they all have one thing in common. And neither of the studies brings solutions to the problem and the policies carried out serve to the deadlock.

By considering Turkey, TRNC, Mediterranean, Greece, GKRK Of special importance and value for the European Union, In this study, trying to examine the Cyprus problem, we will examine why this island, located in the Eastern Mediterranean and only 60 miles away from Turkey, remains divided. The island of Cyprus is the third largest island in terms of land and population, and the second largest island in terms of population (Turks and Greeks are about 450,000 people). But there are more than 500,000 migrants on the island. Therefore, the total population is more than 1.000.000. Also it is close to Turkey. It dominates the SyrianIsraeli extension. It is in a position to control the Suez Canal, where the world's most watercraft pass. For this reason, it has been very critical for the Mediterranean in every time along history.

The Mediterranean is a very large sea, and the trade that started with Phoenicians in the early stages of history has increased exponentially with each passing century and today it has reached up to 90% of the world maritime trade. Therefore, in the context of military and political dominance in the following periods, Cyprus has always a very important position for trading as in the first place, with its close proximity to the Middle East, Anatolia and North Africa.

Cyprus has also changed in terms of indigenous peoples. By considering island as a logistic base, it was hosted 300 years of Ottoman rule, Crusades, Christians, , Turks and Greeks with Greek origin.By the 19th century, as in many different parts of the world, a cosmopolitan Cypriot society consisting of two or even three different cultures and religions emerged. The island of Cyprus, which has long been seen as a floating aircraft carrier due to its dominant position in the Mediterranean, has become a geography with one of the hottest power struggles in the Mediterranean due to its increased value from economic, political and geopolitical perspectives over time.

Different Perspectives For The Geo-economics Value of Cyprus Although in the historical process, geopolitics emerged in the 19th century , it has become a concept that contains economy, politics, underground and aboveground wealth and important locations of geographies. Therefore, it is worth mentioning briefly why the island is indispensable in the Cyprus problem, which has not been solved for half a century. Cyprus has a position that controls the Eastern Mediterranean. Because Cyprus is very close to the world's most important transit zone, the greatest energy sources, the sacred lands of beliefs.

It easily acts as a stop in transportation by the sea and controls these geographies. Especially since 2010, thanks to the construction of the pipeline connection to the fresh water from Turkey, was finalized in terms of seafood and...

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