Zurich- London Agreements & the

establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.

The London-Zurich Agreements
NATO convention – Paris 28th December
1958
Three ‘interested parties’- England,
Greece and Turkey.

Discussing the idea of an

independent Cyprus
Zurich talks – 5- 11 February 1959-
Cyprus should become an
independent Republic.
Zurich Agreement - Ratified at the
London Conference – 19th February
1959.
Zurich – London agreements (1959)
Greece, Turkey, Britain + G/C + T/C. Established the Republic of Cyprus (1960)
-Military groups on the island served Cyprus under the supervision of the three
the purpose of preventing any ‘interested parties’ – Britain,
change to the constitution of Cyprus. Greece + Turkey
 British strategic interests were
secured by 2 sovereign bases.
 Greece + Turkey- stationed troops
 Treaty of Guarantee- Britain, Greece + Turkey – secured direct participation in the
constitutional developments of the Republic (Turkey used this treaty in order to
justify its invasion of the island in 1974!)
Questions

1. When was Cyprus declared an independent Republic? ………………………………………

2. What is the name of the treaty granting Cyprus independence? ..................................
3. Which were the ‘interested parties’? …………………………………………………………………………
4. Who was the first president of Cyprus? …………………………………………………………………….
 Makarios III (1913-1977)
Archbishop, who became the 1st president of Cyprus in 1960.
In his three terms as president, he survived four assassination
attempts and a coup d'état.

The Constitution:
A constitution was granted but had important drawbacks.

Not representative of the

real structure of Cypriot society.
Turkey had a more powerful position The
differences
in the NATO and managed to secure
between the 2
guarantees for the T.C which were
communities
disproportioned to their numbers in were highlighted.
terms of the island’s population. In government
(T.C were represented in the government by a rate departments G/C +
of 30% when they were 18% of the T/C were recognized
population) = alienated the G.C majority. as members of their
respective
communities
and not as citizens of the
Republic of Cyprus.

Homework
How did the existence of the ‘interested parties’ and the new Cypriot constitution create
further problems between the G/C and T/C communities?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………