The Cyprus Crisis and the Southern Flank of NATO (1960-1975)

Independence of Cyprus in 1960 ended neither the Greek demand to annex the island to Greece, nor the Turkish demand to divide the island along the ethnic lines. This paper analyzes the policies of major actors on the Cyprus problem in its crucial years from 1960 to 1975. An overall examination of the British, Turkish, Greek, American and the Soviet policies on Cyprus along with the policies of the Turkish and Greek Cypriots in this period reveals that all sides except Greece developed alternative policies and proposals to solve the problem. Greece was the only side that did not abandon its Cyprus policy of enosis, union with Greece. The unaccommodating approach of Greece on the Cyprus issue not only paved the road for the end of Greek junta (1967- 1974) but also for the eventual collapse of southern flank of NATO in 1975. By 1975, Greece left NATO and Turkey suffered the arms embargo of its NATO ally, the United States of America and in response it shut down the majority of American military bases in Turkey and further weakened the southern flank of NATO