FEDERALISM, FRUSTRATION AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE (by Kris Deschouwer). An ethno-federation is a federal country in which the units have a distinct identity, based on history, religion, language or any other marker of difference between people. These ethno-federations have a poor reputation. In too many cases the federal solution of granting ethnic subgroups … MORE

THE UN TALKS ON CYPRUS DISREGARD THE OUTCOME OF THE 2004 REFERENDUM (by Van Coufoudakis). Forty one years since the Turkish invasion and the continuing occupation of 37% of the Republic of Cyprus a new round of UN sponsored talks is once again under way. In 2004, in a free and democratic referendum, Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected the so-called … MORE

REASSESSING THE PROSPECTS FOR A SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM (by Andreas Theophanous). There is no doubt that following the April 26, 2015 electoral victory and the rise of Mustafa Akinci as the new Turkish Cypriot leader efforts toward the resolution of the Cyprus problem have raised high expectations.  Nevertheless, it is important to be pragmatic and … MORE

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND THE SEARCH FOR A CYPRUS SOLUTION (by Farid Mirbagheri). The momentum for a solution to the protracted Cyprus problem has given rise to hopes that a settlement of the conflict may at long last be at hand. The president of the Republic, Nicos Anastasides, has engaged in UN-brokered mediation process that is reportedly progressing well. … MORE

THE CYPRUS ISSUE AND ITS GEOSTRATEGIC CHALLENGES (by Soteris Kattos). The Italian energy group ENI ‘announced on Sunday[ August 30th 2015] that it has discovered a super-giant natural gas field off the coast of Egypt, describing it as the “largest ever” found in the Mediterranean Sea’ (Associated Press).  The new natural gas discovery of 30 trillion cubic feet is … MORE

THE MILITARY SITUATION IN CYPRUS 1974 – 2015 (by Aristos Aristotelous). It is over forty years since the invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and the de-facto partition of the island by the Turkish military forces, which still maintain their presence on the island. On the other hand, the Cypriot National Guard (NG) has completed fifty years since its establishment in 1964, and four … MORE
 
 

SOFTENING OR HARDENING THE STATUS QUO IN CYPRUS? (by Giorgos Kentas). In an attempt to pave the way for a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus Problem, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Mr. N. Anastasiades and Mr. M. Akinci respectably, undertook some initiatives to boost confidence and build trust across the island. Encouraged by the UN … MORE
 
 

A REGIONAL CYPRUS PROBLEM. HOW A SOLUTION MAY AFFECT REGIONAL ENERGY AND SECURITY COOPERATION (by Michalis Kontos). This article argues that, due to several developments that have taken place in the last few years in the Eastern Mediterranean basin and the greater Middle East, the Cyprus problem is now –to a large degree- a regional issue. By this, we mean … MORE
 
 
THE LAW OF THE SEA DIMENSION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM (by Nicholas A. Ioannides). Indisputably, the prolonged occupation of northern Cyprus by the Turkish Armed Forces following the military invasion of the island from Turkey in 1974 and the subsequent establishment of the breakaway “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (“TRNC”) have engendered serious … MORE
 
 
THE CYPRUS PROBLEM: “WHEN WE ALL THINK ALIKE, NO ONE THINKS VERY MUCH” (by Anna Koukkides-Procopiou). Scratch the surface of any  negotiating team participating in the Cyprus peace talks for the last 40 years or so and what you will most probably find is an array of middle-aged, British-educated, male lawyers and civil servants,  associated each time with … MORE
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