Russia had a partiality for Cyprus even before the days of air travel owing to its position at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Russia likes the option of bringing its shipping down through the Black Sea and into the Med' and the Aegean. It gives access to the Baltic States, and the chance to knock on the door of Southern European countries should it have a mind to.
Large markets in Zambia and Kenya, North Africa, the Middle East are available this way - and the stepping stone to them is Cyprus.
Crimea
When the Crimean War broke out, Britain supported Turkey against Russia, something that Mother Russia has probably never quite been able to forget. In return for Britain's support, Turkey agreed to hand over Cyprus for an agreed rent. Britain raised the levy by taxing Cypriot produce to the tune of 10 per cent. The Cypriots in effect had to pay to be ruled by someone else.
Later, in the Great War, when Turkey sided with Germany. Britain no longer felt obliged to pay any dues over Cyprus, and upon the successful outcome of the war - for Britain and allies at least - the island was made a Crown Colony.
Annexation
Turkey and Greece recognised Britain's annexation of Cyprus in 1923, and in 1925 it became a Crown Colony crushing hopes for Enosis.
Whatever their misgivings about British rule, Cypriots were staunch supporters of the Allied cause in World War II.
This was particularly true after the invasion of Greece in 1940. Conscription was not imposed on the colony, but 6,000 Cypriot volunteers fought under British command during the Greek campaign. Before the war ended, more than 30,000 had served in the British forces.
Important base
As far as the island itself was concerned, it escaped the war except for limited air raids. As it had twenty-five years earlier, it became important as a supply and training base and as a naval station, but this time its use as an air base made it particularly significant to the overall Allied cause.
Patriotism and a common enemy did not entirely erase enosis in the minds of Greek Cypriots. Propagandists remained active during the entire war, particularly in London, where they hoped to gain friends and influence lawmakers.
During the war, Britain made no move to restore the constitution that it had revoked in 1931; to provide a new one; or to guarantee any civil liberties.
However after October 1941 political meetings were condoned, and permission was granted by the governor for the formation of political parties.
AKEL Party
Without delay Cypriot communists founded the Progressive Party of the Working People (Anorthotikon Komma Ergazomenou Laou - AKEL) as the successor to an earlier communist party that had been established in the 1920s and proscribed during the 1930s.
Because of Western wartime alliances with the Soviet Union, the communist label in 1941 was not the anathema that it later became; nevertheless, some Orthodox clerics and middle-class merchants were alarmed at the appearance of the new party.
Many Cypriots who had fought alongside the British in WWll felt badly aggrieved that there request for self-determination had been pushed aside. Many flocked to the Communist Party, AKEL in a bid to better working conditions and achieve independence. Others rallied to the cry of Enosis and unity with Greece.
The Turkish Cypriot community had consistently opposed the Greek Cypriot enosis movement, but had generally abstained from direct action because under British rule the Turkish minority status and identity were protected.
At the time, a loose federation of nationalists backed by the church and working for enosis and the Panagrarian Union of Cyprus (Panagrotiki Enosis Kyprou - PEK), the nationalist peasant association, opposed AKEL.
Volkan
Turkish Cypriot identification with Turkey had grown stronger, and after 1954 the Turkish government had become increasingly involved as the Cyprus problem became an international issue. On the island, an underground Turkish Cypriot political organization known as Volkan (volcano) was formed.
The expressed attitude of the Cyprus Turkish Minority Association was that, in the event of British withdrawal, control of Cyprus should simply revert to Turkey. This position ignored the fact that Turkey gave up all rights and claims in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.
As the struggle for independence grew AKEL threw its lot in with the others to oppose the British.
Archbishop Makarios
The new Cypriot leader who had emerged, Archbishop Makarios, became concerned over right wing General Grivas's extremism from their very first meeting. Makarios preferred to continue diplomatic efforts, particularly efforts to get the UN involved.
Entry of both Greece and Turkey into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) made the settlement of the Cyprus issue more important to the Western powers, but no new ideas were forthcoming.
During the clashes that subsequently arose between the British and the Cypriots, arms were supplied by the Soviet Union to help the Freedom fighters.
Non Aligned Movement
The Soviet Union was the power behind the Non Aligned movement. Formers Crown Colonies were drawn to this and grew into fledgling states. Among the most authoritative leaders in the Non Aligned movement were Nassa, Nehru of and of course Makarios.
During the disturbances leading up to independence, a plan was formulated led by the Americans, to divide the island between Turkey and Greece. Both were NATO members and so in one stroke the problem of Makarios keeping Cyprus outside NATO would be solved.
In 1960 independence was granted but under pressure from NATO, Cypriots were foisted with a Constitution that denied them government by an elected majority, denied them the right to change their constitution, and guaranteed NATO powers, military influence on the island.
Moscow moved to bolster its support for Cyprus' position through the Non Aligned Movement.
President Khrushchev
In 1964 when Turkey threatened to invade Cyprus, President Khrushchev threatened to take Soviet forces into Turkey. US President Johnson sent a strict reprimand to the Turkish leadership about the folly of this and Turkey backed off.
Over the years. Moscow has maintained strong lines of communication with the government in Nicosia. When the US built an Embassy in the capital, the USSR built one right next door. Both are probably bristling with electronic listening devices.
The Russians have waved and admonishing finger at those who would seek to interfere or impose a unattractive solution.
Annan Plan
Currently Ankara has rejected all recent proposals. It wants to return to the Annan plan. One idea put forward by Cyprus was that Famagusta port should be reopened and administered jointly by the two communities. This would permit articles to be shipped from both. It would also include renovation of the tourist area in Famagusta. Hotels there are largely owned by Greek Cypriots.
This idea found favour with the EU but was rejected by Turkey. It seems that this, like the removal of Turkish troops, will only be considered by Turkey as part of some total solution.
It's all or nothing with Turkish thinking at the moment, and it looks like it's going to be nothing - in the short term at least.
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