Foivos Klokkaris | Turkish efforts to conquer Cyprus

Defence Redefined

Published on 21/02/2021 at 17:30

The Chinese general Sun Tzu (5th century BC) states in his famous book “The Art of War”: “Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting” (paragraph 2, chapter “Attack by Stratagem”).

Turkey’s strategic goal for Cyprus is the control of the whole island, which is confirmed by historical events [the Turkish rebellion in 1963 (Tourkantarsia) – the Turkish invasion of 1974, the occupation, settlement, ethnic cleansing], included in texts of the Turkish state (national oath of the Turkish National Assembly 1920, reports of Nihat Erim 1956 etc.) and in books of its officials, such as “Strategic Depth” by Ahmet Davutoglu.

Turkey has largely achieved its goal, with the military invasion of 1974, the occupation of the northern part of Cyprus followed by its complete Turkification and Islamization. 

Also read: Turkish Policy in a few words (Maps)

The realization of its goal will be achieved by controlling the free territories of Cyprus. To achieve this goal, it seems that Turkey is following Sun Tzu’s aggressive strategy of subduing the enemy (Hellenism in the free territories) without fighting (without military intervention). In order to create favorable conditions for the realization of the goal, Turkey proceeded to actions in the military, political, diplomatic, psychological field, etc. which have been going on for 47 years, with the main ones being:  

• The threat of using military force. The maintenance and continuous strengthening of the Turkish Occupation Forces and Cyprus’ suffocating naval restriction (Turkish Navy, intervention in its EEZ with research vessels and drilling rigs) to exert psychological violence on Greek-Cypriots so as to accept a solution to the Cyprus problem under Turkish terms.
• The systematic demographic change of the free territories, with the support of illegal Muslim immigrants, acting like a Trojan horse, through the Green Line and the coasts. 
• The creation of conditions for a solution to the Cyprus problem under Turkish terms. Turkey has turned the international crime it committed against Cyprus into a bicommunal dispute and established a subordinate administration (“TRNC”) that relies on Turkey (majority of settlers, bilateral agreements) to be the state / ‘bridgehead’ through which Turkey, in a solution under Turkish terms, will exercise control over the whole of Cyprus. 
• The downswing of the Greeks’ morale. The conduct of psychological operations to influence their thinking and emotions. To react to the Turkish propaganda mechanism (fear of Turkish military threat, lure of a solution that supposedly offers economic prosperity / peaceful coexistence, etc.), to wane their will to resist and to succumb to Turkish positions on the Cyprus issue. The war of Turkish propaganda (white, gray, black) has been raging relentlessly since 1974.
• The opening of the enclosed area of ​​Famagusta, as a lever of pressure, in order for the Greeks to succumb to a solution to the Cyprus problem under Turkish conditions. With its actions, Turkey achieved:
• The downswing of morale and the cultivation of defeatism in an important part of the Cypriot Hellenism.
• The weakening of the defence shield of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC). Our government and much of the political world, due to a phobic syndrome, do not have the political will to strengthen the defence shield, on the grounds that it is a waste of money, while efforts to deal with mighty Turkey are futile.
• The Cypriot government’s adoption of the bizonal, bicommunal Federation solution, imposed by Turkey and Britain, with the illusion that it serves our interests, even though it serves the interests of Turkey. This solution, similarly to the two-state solution proposed by Turkey today, is a form of confederation that eradicates the RoC, legitimizes divisions and extends Turkish control in the free territories. Cyprus’ adoption of the bizonal, bicommunal federation solution proposed by Turkey, while having the illusion that it serves its interests, is a great success of the Turkish psychological operations.

In conclusion, Turkey, with methodical actions, prepared the ground for the implementation of its strategy for the control of the free territories of Cyprus, through a solution to the Cyprus problem under Turkish terms, without military intervention. Without fighting, according to Sun Tzu. Today the fact that we are dragged into a five-party conference on the Cyprus issue, with two solutions of Turkish terms at the negotiating table, frightens us. The one of the bizonal, bicommunal federation (RoC position) and the two-state solution (Turkey’s position). It is imperative that we refuse to participate in the conference, reconsider our position on a bizonal, bicommunal federation solution and urgently strengthen our defence and our will to resist. If we do not do so, our submission to Turkey is both unavoidable and inevitable.

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