London Memorandum

London Memorandum. The London Memorandum was a pivotal international agreement signed in 1959 that established the foundational political framework for the independent Republic of Cyprus. It was a key component of the London and Zürich Agreements, which ended the four-year Cyprus Emergency and outlined a power-sharing constitution between the island's Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The memorandum, negotiated primarily between the United Kingdom, Greece, and Turkey, aimed to create a bi-communal state while preserving significant strategic interests for the British Empire.

Background and context

The push for Enosis, or union with Greece, had grown significantly among the Greek Cypriot majority following World War II, leading to the formation of the EOKA guerrilla organization under Georgios Grivas. The ensuing Cyprus Emergency created sustained conflict with British colonial rule and heightened tensions between the Greek Cypriot community and the Turkish Cypriot community, the latter fearing marginalization and advocating for Taksim, or partition. International diplomacy intensified, with the United Nations discussing the "Cyprus Question" and NATO allies Greece and Turkey nearing conflict over the island's future. Following the Zurich Agreement between the Greek and Turkish governments, negotiations moved to London to finalize terms with British officials and Cypriot leaders, including Archbishop Makarios III and Fazıl Küçük.

Terms and provisions

The memorandum detailed the transition from a British Crown Colony to an independent republic, embedding complex power-sharing mechanisms into the future Cyprus Constitution of 1960. It guaranteed a Greek Cypriot President and a Turkish Cypriot Vice President, each with veto powers over key legislation. The document stipulated a fixed ratio in the House of Representatives and the civil service, heavily favoring the Turkish Cypriot minority. Crucially, it granted the United Kingdom sovereignty over the Akrotiri and Dhekelia areas, establishing major military bases. The Treaty of Guarantee and the Treaty of Alliance were also integral, giving Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom rights of intervention and establishing a tripartite military contingent on the island.

Signatories and ratification

The agreement was formally signed at Lancaster House on 19 February 1959 by the foreign ministers of the three guaranteeing powers: Selwyn Lloyd for the United Kingdom, Evangelos Averoff for Greece, and Fatin Rüştü Zorlu for Turkey. The Cypriot communities were represented by Archbishop Makarios III for the Greek Cypriots and Fazıl Küçük for the Turkish Cypriots. Following the signing, the terms were put to separate communal referendums, where they received overwhelming approval. The agreements were subsequently enacted into the independence constitution, and sovereignty was formally transferred on 16 August 1960, with Archbishop Makarios III and Fazıl Küçük inaugurated as president and vice president.

Implementation and impact

The implementation of the constitution proved immediately problematic, as both communities contested interpretations of the complex communal provisions. Disputes over taxation, municipal governance, and civil service appointments led to a constitutional crisis by 1963. Greek Cypriot leadership proposed constitutional amendments, the "Thirteen Points", which were rejected by the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey, leading to the outbreak of intercommunal violence. This prompted the deployment of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in 1964. The Green Line was established in Nicosia, effectively partitioning the capital, and Turkish Cypriots withdrew into enclaves, rendering the bi-communal government inoperative.

Legacy and historical significance

The London Memorandum is widely regarded as having established a fragile and ultimately unworkable political system that contributed directly to the island's division. The treaties of guarantee and alliance provided the legal pretext for the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, following a Greek junta-sponsored coup. This invasion led to the permanent de facto partition of the island and the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey. The memorandum's legacy continues to shape all subsequent peace efforts, including the Annan Plan for Cyprus and ongoing negotiations under United Nations auspices. It remains a critical reference point in the enduring Cyprus dispute, exemplifying the challenges of imposed consociational models in deeply divided societies. Category:Treaties of the United Kingdom Category:Treaties of Greece Category:Treaties of Turkey Category:Cold War treaties Category:History of Cyprus Category:1959 in international relations Category:1959 in the United Kingdom