Isle of Discord: Nationalism, Imperialism, and the Making of the Cyprus Problem

"The first in-depth reconstruction of the struggle based on fully original documentation. It is, indeed, a welcome and important book." American Historical Review One of the longest-standing and most intractable problems in contemporary international politics, the Cyprus question continues to plague the international community.Isle of Discordsketches the post-war origins of the Cyprus problem from the first drive toward internationalization to the outbreak of armed struggle against the British colonial regime-to show how the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict was repeatedly and fatefully squandered.Strategically located at the hub of three continents, the island of Cyprus has been a bone of contention between Greek and Turkish nationalists-and consequently between U.S., British, and U. N. policymakers. Detailing the central role of the nationalist Enosis movement, of the U.N., and of insidious factionalism in the area, Stefanidis brings new insight to this undertreated period of Cypriot history through U.S., British, and Greek records not before used.A timely profile of this legacy of modern diplomatic history, Isle of Discordidentifies the various forces, competing interests, and partisan pressures that helped shape the Cyprus problem.