Cyprus–NATO relations

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Cyprus – NATO relations

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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][3] The others are Austria, Ireland and Malta.

## Background

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

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Further information: British Cyprus

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.[4][5]

### 1960–2004: Independence and non-alignment

[edit]

Further information: London and Zürich Agreements, Cyprus problem, and Cyprus and the Non-Aligned Movement

Flag map showing the current division of the island into the Republic of Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus and the Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus remained under British control as a British Overseas Territory following independence.[6][7][8] 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.[9][10][11] 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.[12][13]

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.[14][15] 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.[16] 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.[17][18]

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.[19][20][21]

The prime originator of Cypriot non-alignment was Archbishop of Cyprus Makarios III, the first President (1960–1977) of the independent republic of Cyprus.[22]

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.[23][24] 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.[25][26]

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.[27][28]

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.[29][30] 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.[31][32][33]

### 2004–present: European Union membership

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Further information: European Union–NATO relations

Accession of Cyprus to the European Union in 2004 Map showing European membership of the EU and NATO

EU member only

NATO member only

member of both

Foreign Ministers of the European Union countries in Limassol during Cyprus Presidency of the EU in 2012

One of the requirements of the 2004 enlargement of the European Union was for Cyprus to leave the Non-Aligned Movement.[34]

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.[35][1][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]

> If a Member State is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. This shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States. [...]

> — Article 42.7 of the consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union

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.[citation needed]

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

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Further information: Partnership for Peace § Cyprus

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

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* Albania
* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Canada
* Croatia
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Italy
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* United Kingdom
* United States

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

## See also

[edit]

* Foreign relations of Cyprus
* Cyprus and the Non-Aligned Movement
* Cyprus in the European Union
* Cyprus problem
* Foreign relations of NATO
* Enlargement of NATO
* NATO open door policy
* Partnership for Peace
* Neutral member states in the European Union
* European Union–NATO relations

NATO relations of other EU member states outside NATO:

* Austria–NATO relations
* Ireland–NATO relations
* Malta–NATO relations

## References

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1. ^ a b "What 6 countries are not in NATO?".[permanent dead link]
2. ^ Wemer, David (1 April 2019). "NATO membership for Cyprus. Yes, Cyprus". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
3. ^ Canada, NATO Association of. "Partners for Peace?: Cyprus, NATO and the EU". NAOC. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
4. ^ "On this day 16th August | Royal Signals Museum". Retrieved 13 March 2023.
5. ^ Smith, Helena (9 May 2022). "Deal allows Cyprus to develop land in British sovereign base areas". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
6. ^ "Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas". UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
7. ^ "Αυτοί είναι οι χάρτες των πολεοδομικών ζωνών στις Βάσεις (Pdf)". www.brief.com.cy. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
8. ^ "Οι βρετανικές βάσεις στην Κύπρο". NGradio.gr (in Greek). 31 July 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
9. ^ "US. JOINS BRITAIN IN MOVE TO SEND FORCE TO CYPRUS; Turkey Assents and Greece Is Reported Agreeable to NATO Peace Unit". The New York Times. 1 February 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
10. ^ "Greece Withdrawing Units From NATO to Aid Cyprus". The New York Times. 18 August 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
11. ^ "55 χρόνια από τους βομβαρδισμούς της Τηλλυρίας". euronews (in Greek). 8 August 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
12. ^ Hatzivassiliou, Evanthis (2005). "Cyprus at the Crossroads, 1959–63". European History Quarterly. 35 (4): 523–540. doi:10.1177/0265691405056875. S2CID 143884601.
13. ^ "Belgrade, The 1961 Non-Aligned Conference | Global South Studies, U.Va". globalsouthstudies.as.virginia.edu. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
14. ^ "NATO Is Viewed as Weakened by the War on Cyprus". The New York Times. 13 August 1974. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
15. ^ Sullivan, Jack (28 January 2023). "Only America Can Resolve the Cyprus Question". FDD. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
16. ^ Dempsey, Judy (24 November 2010). "Between the European Union and NATO, Many Walls". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
17. ^ "NATO membership for Cyprus. Yes, Cyprus". Atlantic Council. 1 April 2019. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
18. ^ Wrießnig, Thomas. "Cyprus, Is one of the oldest conflicts about to be resolved?" (PDF).
19. ^ "Αναστασιάδης: Δεν θα μπορούσαμε εμείς να είμαστε το στίγμα της Ευρώπης". euronews (in Greek). 19 January 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
20. ^ Έλλις, Αθανάσιος. "Νίκος Αναστασιάδης στην "Κ": Η Κύπρος, αξιόπιστος εταίρος της Δύσης". www.kathimerini.gr. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
21. ^ Sigmalive. "ΠτΔ: Στενή η σχέση ανάμεσα σε Κύπρο και Λίβανο | News". www.sigmalive.com. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
22. ^ Newsroom. "Makarios: Charismatic leader or architect of catastrophe? | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. Retrieved 13 March 2023. `{{cite web}}`: `|last=` has generic name (help)
23. ^ "Cyprus and the EU – High Commission of Cyprus in the UK". Retrieved 13 March 2023.
24. ^ "Cyprus and the EU". University of Nicosia Library. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
25. ^ "Afro-Asian organisations: The Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation, Executive Committee meeting in Cyprus, 10-12 September 1963".
26. ^ Session, Permanent Organization for Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Council (1968). The Eighth Session of the Council of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation: 13-16 February 1967 : Nicosia (Cyprus) : a Brief Report.
27. ^ "The Moral Grounds for the EU's Obligation to End the Occupation of Northern Cyprus (ARI)". Elcano Royal Institute. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
28. ^ "Cyprus country profile". BBC News. 1 March 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
29. ^ webteam (11 July 2017). ""Δίκαιη και βιώσιμη λύση του Κυπριακού συνεπάγεται κατάργηση εγγυήσεων και αποχώρηση των κατοχικών στρατευμάτων" | Ελληνική Κυβέρνηση" (in Greek). Retrieved 13 March 2023.
30. ^ "Επιμονή σε λύση του Κυπριακού χωρίς εγγυήσεις και στρατό κατοχής". www.brief.com.cy. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
31. ^ "Προεργασίες Χριστοδουλίδη για ενεργό εμπλοκή της ΕΕ στο Κυπριακό". Ant1live.
32. ^ "Βλέπει θετικά ο Στιούαρτ την εμπλοκή ΕΕ στο Κυπριακό | Offsite". www.offsite.com.cy. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
33. ^ "Πολιτικές προσωπικότητες της ΕΕ για εμπλοκή στο Κυπριακό". Stockwatch - Παράθυρο στην Οικονομία (in Greek). 7 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
34. ^ Ker-Lindsay, James. "Shifting alignments: the external orientation of Cyprus since independence" (PDF). London School of Economics. 22 (2): 68.
35. ^ MATSAKIS, Marios. "Parliamentary question | Cyprus and Partnership for Peace (PfP) | E-0571/2009 | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
36. ^ Tidey, Alice (24 May 2022). "As Sweden and Finland seek to join NATO, just 4 EU states could be left out of the alliance". euronews. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
37. ^ "Cyprus ratifies Lisbon treaty". POLITICO. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
38. ^ "Understanding the Lisbon Treaty". www.robert-schuman.eu. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
39. ^ "Mutual defence clause (Article 42.7 TEU)" (PDF).
40. ^ "Cyprus will not apply for Nato membership at the moment def minister says". Daily Cyprus. 19 May 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
41. ^ "Cypriot parliament votes to join NATO's Partnership for Peace". SETimes. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
42. ^ "Cyprus - Vouli Antiprosopon (House of Representatives)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
43. ^ Dempsey, Judy (24 November 2012). "Between the European Union and NATO, Many Walls". New York Times. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
44. ^ Kambas, Michele; Babington, Deepa (24 February 2013). "Cypriot conservative romps to presidential victory". Reuters. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
45. ^ "Cypriots elect Anastasiades to presidency". POLITICO. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
46. ^ "Cyprus dismisses reports on NATO scenarios". KNEWS - Kathimerini Cyprus. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
47. ^ Solutions, BDigital Web. "Cyprus dismisses reports on NATO scenarios". knews.com.cy. Retrieved 13 March 2023.

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