Historical Crisis Committee

Agenda Item: Cyprus Peace Operation

“Ayşe Tatile Çıksın”

Under Secretary General: Berkay Öztürk

Academic Assistants: Arda Gündüz, Ali Kaan Sert

Study Guide

Introduction

The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island of Cyprus has always had conflicts between that couldn’t be solved for a long time. The roots of the conflict can be traced back to the early 20th century, when the island was a British colony. In the 1950s, the Greek Cypriot community, which constituted the majority of the island’s population, began to push for union with Greece, a process known as Enosis. The Turkish Cypriot minority, however, sought to maintain the island’s independence and protect their political and cultural rights. Tensions between the two communities grew, and in 1963, intercommunal violence broke out. The British government, unable to resolve the situation, requested assistance from the United Nations, which established the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the presence of the UN peacekeeping force, tensions continued to escalate, and in 1974, a Greek-backed coup d’etat aimed at uniting the island with Greece was staged. Turkey, citing the need to protect the Turkish Cypriot minority, intervened militarily on the island.

At MUNSA’23, delegates will take it upon themselves and protect the Turkish population in Cyprus, while also taking effective actions that will determine the future of the Island of Cyprus.