Nicosia 1974

A coup d’état on July 15, 1974, against the lawful Cypriot government provided a pretext for Turkey to invade the island on July 20 and promote her expansionist plans.

Ankara attempted to present the invasion as a so-called peaceful operation aimed at restoring constitutional order and protecting the Turkish Cypriot community.

However, even after the restoration of constitutional order and the return of President of Cyprus Archbishop Makarios III in December 1974, the Turkish troops remained on the island, promoting Turkey’s plans against Cyprus.

On August 14, 1974, the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus began, leading to the following tragic consequences:
(a)  37% of Cypriot territory continues to remain under occupation despite repeated UN and other international resolutions calling for respect of the independence and territorial sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.
(b)  Five thousand Greek Cypriots were killed, 180,000 lost their homes and became displaced while 1,619 are recorded missing.

Since 1974, the people of Cyprus are experiencing the tragedy of a divided country, with the Green Line cutting in two the heart of the capital city Nicosia and crushing the dreams of its inhabitants.