European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Minarets in the turkish Section of Nicosia top photo Tower Over the United nations Butler zone and a checkpoint on the greek cypriot lines greek Graffiti a Block from the Butler zone Taya no to nationalism boy in photo above Bounce his Ball past an abandoned mosque near butter zone in Creek Section of Nicosia Paradis partitioned editor s note staff writer Joseph oven spent i the Days in Cyprus last month netting a firsthand look at the people the ponor and the politics that for the last 14 years Hart split this former British Colony into turkish and govt Rones of occupation. The United Jav Rofaim has the Job of patrolling the line of separation keep it a peace that at times seems As tenuous As the country s future Owen her ctn null run for the net no Days. Story and photos by Joseph Owen staff writer the visiting foreign dignitaries looked teach other almost bewildered then leaned Forward and asked the cypriot cabdriver to repeat the comment he had just is the most Beauli Lul Island in All of the Greece he said again enthusiastically apparently oblivious to the fact that his troubled Island in the Eastern Mediterranean is not part of the country in question. The remark is an Echo perhaps of the yearning for enors the unification with Greece that ran rampant among greek speaking cypriot in the 1950s and 1960s. Ironically the Gnosis movement not Only failed but is partly to blame for the Island s cultural schizophrenia its division into two antagonistic slates. A 3.572-Square-mile Beach bum s Paradise Cyprus is slightly smaller than Connecticut. Its natural Beauty and archaeological riches a11rac1 droves of tourists. But its strategic location at the Crossroads of shipping lanes in the East Mediterranean also has made it the hapless prey of other nations Lor centuries. For better or worse the greeks. Romans venetians ottoman turks and British among others All left a lasting imprint. Today the Southern three filth of the Island is whal remains of the Republic of Cyprus which won an uneasy Independence from the United kingdom in 1960. The Northern iwo fifths. The turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the area Turkey seized from Cypre and greek troops in invasions in july and August 197 it includes part of the capital. Nicosia and its Northen suburbs. Turkey Jusli tied the invasion by saying it wanted to protect the turkish cypriot minority in the Wake of a greek sponsored coup attempt against the cypriot president the late archbishop Makarios 111. The unite nations estimates thai 29.000 turkish troops still remain in Northern Cyprus supporting a breakaway regime thai Only Turkey recognizes As a Sovereign cypriots Are wondering in the Stags is set Lor More political shifts this Lime peaceful ones or wheel current High level a Hollcr can do nothing to change i status and Turkey the prime manipulators of Cyprus Las in recent decades Are improving relation with one another. Turkish Premier Sturgul Ozal and greek prime minister Andreas Papandreou met in january in Davos Switzerland and Ozal became the first turkish Premier in 35 years to visit Athens when t arrived there for further talks with Papandreou earlier this month. Turkey seeking full common Market membership is under new pressure to resolve the Cyprus dispute. Greece is already a full member. Despite attempts by the United nations the unil Stales and the soviets to Settle the Cyprus question the current stalemate has persisted nearly Unchangco Tor 14 years. The Rev. Xavier Geiser an american priest and longtime pastor of holy Cross Church in the United nations Bulfer zone in Nicosia says of the greek cypriots. Most of them say they would Tike to see country United. But it you talk to them priv ally they Don t hold much Cyprus became Independent in 1960 alter five yes of guerrilla violence led by the Oka the National organization of cypriot fighters aimed at ending British Rule and achieving Union with Greece. Cyprus Page 14 the stars and stripes mond
