Britain and Cyprus ─ Key Themes and Documents Since World War II

Cyprus after World War II was - and continues to be - a focal point for diplomatic and military negotiations and disagreements between both local and international powers. The diplomatic history of this island and those who have sought to control it is thus of great importance in the analysis of the history of Cyprus, the eastern Mediterranean and British and American foreign policy. In Britain and Cyprus, William Mallinson, a former British diplomat, has selected from a wealth of documents drawn from the National Archives of Great Britain, skillfully combining the chronology of events with vital themes and motifs. Crucially, several of these documents have been obtained directly from the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defense, thanks to the help - and pressure - of the Information Commissioner, under the Freedom of Information Act, thus making sure that once the 'Thirty Year Rule' is up, these documents are made available.

Britain and Cyprus covers topics which are vital, yet embarrassing, to those involved, such as Britain's secret collaboration with Turkey, Henry Kissinger's stalling tactics at the time of the Turkish invasion, British diplomats' irritation directed towards Turkey, how Britain succumbed to US pressure to keep its territories, and how Prime Minister James Callaghan denied the truth to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Cypnis. As shocking and important today, as they are made available for the first time to the general public and academics alike, as the subject matter would have been at the time, Mallinson furthermore adds incisive and thoughtful analysis and evaluation to these timeless documents.

This book accordingly offers a documentation and an exploration of the diplomatic and military themes which are vital for a deep understanding of the current situation where, yet again, the interested parties are trying to balance a whole range of conflicting interests to arrive at a settlement. It will thus prove to be invaluable for all those interested in the politics of the Eastern Mediterranean, British history and in the process of policy formulation.

Willam Mallinson is Lecturer in British History, Literature and Culture at the Ionian University, Corfu. He is a former British diplomat