The World Community's Duties Regarding Human Rights in Cyprus

Turkey's opportunistic but unfaltering implementation of her ultimate goal of reacquiring sovereignty in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean, which she believes should be hers as heir to the Ottomans,20 falsifies the view that the Cyprus question is merely one for the Greek and Turkish Cypriots to settle in intercommunal negotiations. If Turkey's role and those of other powers in creating and exacerbating the Cyprus problem are ignored, old-fashioned power politics will prevail. Such a view also disregards the fact that enforcement of human rights is a matter of international duty. No longer can the political ambitions of States and their geostrategic alliances be permitted to block protection of human rights without expunging the achievements of States in establishing international human rights law. The world community should insist on restoration of human rights in Cyprus and relief for those suffering from the Turkish invasion and 20-year continued occupation. This would have the added advantage of changing attitudes and eliciting goodwill, which would then encourage a just solution of the Cyprus problem in circumstances where human rights prevailed over brute force.