Cyprus-Forum.com

[alexISS]

The independence of Cyprus was Makarios’ idea and suggestion to H.Foot, not that of Greece!

Your version of the events is typical Greek mythology!

Read and weep

Under the premiership of Constantine Karamanlis in Greece, the goal of enosis gradually was abandoned in favour of Cypriot independence. Negotiations in 1958 generated the Zurich Agreement as a basis for a deal on independence, and Makarios was invited to London in 1959 to fine-tune the plan. Makarios at first refused to accept the plan. The reversal of his pro-enosis stance, and his eventual agreement to sign the conditions for the independence of Cyprus, have been attributed to moral suasion on behalf of the Greek and British governments. According to a more controversial account, the archbishop was blackmailed by MI6 with disclosure of material relating to his private homosexual activities.[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makarios_III

[Afroasiatis]

It's not a secret that practically the whole of both Greek and GC elites wanted Enosis up to some point, at least officially. This includes greek rightists, greek centrists, Makarios, AKEL. All of them abandoned the idea of Enosis gradually. Karamanlis was one of the first.

However, the fact that GC elites wanted Enosis was to a big part the result of influence from Greece. If Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus and showed no interest in Enosis, Cyprus probably wouldn't be partitioned today and there would be no turkish troops in the island.

[alexISS]

It's not a secret that practically the whole of both Greek and GC elites wanted Enosis up to some point, at least officially. This includes greek rightists, greek centrists, Makarios, AKEL. All of them abandoned the idea of Enosis gradually. Karamanlis was one of the first.

However, the fact that GC elites wanted Enosis was to a big part the result of influence from Greece. If Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus and showed no interest in Enosis, Cyprus probably wouldn't be partitioned today and there would be no turkish troops in the island.

Yes, both Cyprus and Greece were after enosis in the post-WWII era, but Greece soon realized it was not viable, certainly sooner than Cyprus.

But, if Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus then there would be no EOKA struggle and Cyprus would either be British or Turkish. It would certainly not be independent

[insan]

It's not a secret that practically the whole of both Greek and GC elites wanted Enosis up to some point, at least officially. This includes greek rightists, greek centrists, Makarios, AKEL. All of them abandoned the idea of Enosis gradually. Karamanlis was one of the first.

However, the fact that GC elites wanted Enosis was to a big part the result of influence from Greece. If Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus and showed no interest in Enosis, Cyprus probably wouldn't be partitioned today and there would be no turkish troops in the island.

Yes, both Cyprus and Greece were after enosis in the post-WWII era, but Greece soon realized it was not viable, certainly sooner than Cyprus.

But, if Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus then there would be no EOKA struggle and Cyprus would either be British or Turkish. It would certainly not be independent

Greece? what abt Grivas and his right winged military and financial backers?

Had Turks and Greeks, besides GCs and TCs sorted out their differences; there would have been no need for an armed struggle to solve the Cyprus problem and eventually 2 communities could have managed to establish an independent state.

Illiteracy and cold war didn't let them... For a long while there's no cold war anymore but there r other rgional concerns besides illiteracy still don't allow them to solve the Cyprus problem.

[Expatkiwi]

Getting back to the title of this thread, GR is certainly not blue-and-white, he is gold,green-and-white. A rather too idealistic stance given the island's politics, but one can certainly respect him for that.

[Afroasiatis]

Yes, both Cyprus and Greece were after enosis in the post-WWII era, but Greece soon realized it was not viable, certainly sooner than Cyprus.

Not Greece in general, Karamanlis and Averof did. And even then, they didn't exclude the possibility of Enosi in the far future.
G. Papandreou actively tried for Enosi. He was even ready to accept the Acheson plan, whereas Makarios wasn't.
After 1968, as Makarios changed policy, there were forces both in Greece and in Cyprus who still wanted Enosi.
So, I think we can't generalize on the positions of Greece and Cyprus.

But, if Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus then there would be no EOKA struggle and Cyprus would either be British or Turkish. It would certainly not be independent

Here I have a different opinion. If Greece had always stayed out and there was no EOKA struggle, it's possible that Cyprus would be today an independent united state, without guarantee powers.
Britain gradually withdrawed from almost all its colonies, and sooner or later this would happen to Cyprus too. If Greece didn't have any interest on Cyprus, Turkey would have it diffcult to justify her own. And if there was a common struggle of GCs and TCs against british colonialism, with independence as target, the TCs wouldn't embrace turkish nationalism, and Turkey wouldn't be able to play the role of their protector.

[miltiades]

Yes, both Cyprus and Greece were after enosis in the post-WWII era, but Greece soon realized it was not viable, certainly sooner than Cyprus.

Not Greece in general, Karamanlis and Averof did. And even then, they didn't exclude the possibility of Enosi in the far future.
G. Papandreou actively tried for Enosi. He was even ready to accept the Acheson plan, whereas Makarios wasn't.
After 1968, as Makarios changed policy, there were forces both in Greece and in Cyprus who still wanted Enosi.
So, I think we can't generalize on the positions of Greece and Cyprus.

But, if Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus then there would be no EOKA struggle and Cyprus would either be British or Turkish. It would certainly not be independent

Here I have a different opinion. If Greece had always stayed out and there was no EOKA struggle, it's possible that Cyprus would be today an independent united state, without guarantee powers.
Britain gradually withdrawed from almost all its colonies, and sooner or later this would happen to Cyprus too. If Greece didn't have any interest on Cyprus, Turkey would have it diffcult to justify her own. And if there was a common struggle of GCs and TCs against british colonialism, with independence as target, the TCs wouldn't embrace turkish nationalism, and Turkey wouldn't be able to play the role of their protector.

Haven't read many of your posts but I congratulate you on this one , keep posting .

[verywitty]

But, if Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus then there would be no EOKA struggle and Cyprus would either be British or Turkish. It would certainly not be independent

And then you ask the world to take you seriously.. What sane person on this planet believes even for one second that Cyprus would be British.
Turkey found an opportunity and invaded Cyprus. Greece also had many excuses to attack back but instead they didnt do anything. I dont care how nice your prime minister talks about our relations and how much water you give us in the summer, actions speak louder than words and in that department Turkey showed you that they have bigger balls than you.
Its true when you say we could never be independent, only because of idiots that keep thinking enosis is a good idea

[miltiades]

But, if Greece had always stayed out of Cyprus then there would be no EOKA struggle and Cyprus would either be British or Turkish. It would certainly not be independent

And then you ask the world to take you seriously.. What sane person on this planet believes even for one second that Cyprus would be British.
Turkey found an opportunity and invaded Cyprus. Greece also had many excuses to attack back but instead they didnt do anything. I dont care how nice your prime minister talks about our relations and how much water you give us in the summer, actions speak louder than words and in that department Turkey showed you that they have bigger balls than you.
Its true when you say we could never be independent, only because of idiots that keep thinking enosis is a good idea

Haven't read many of your posts either , but I congratulate you on this one !!
Independence will solidly established when the Cypriot people embrace their own nation and be proud to be Cypriots. I SHOUT IT TO THE WORLD THAT I'M A CYPRIOT !

[Oracle]

.. it's possible that Cyprus would be today an independent united state, without guarantee powers.
Britain gradually withdrawed from almost all its colonies, and sooner or later this would happen to Cyprus too..

Impossible! It was already declared that Cyprus was a special case which would NEVER be given independence.

EOKA and Greece had no choice but to fight for some vestige of independence for Cyprus and then improve it with time ...