This is the sixth book on “Academic Comments on Cyprus’ politics” and covers the year 2007 from the beginning to end.
The first five, titled “Kıbrıs Siyasetine Akademik Bakış -1” followed by two, three, four and five of the same series, were written in Turkish, covering a period starting from Dec. 2003 to Dec. 2007.
The pressures from the Turkish Cypriot Diaspora, living in English speaking countries, to write political commentary on the issue of Cyprus in English were very strong. This, combined with demand from regular Turkish Cypriots, prompted me to write this book.
To be very honest and sincere, I would like to confess that it is very hard to write historical and political commentary in a language other than my native language.
To write comments in the English language and particularly on “Cyprus’ Politics” is a challenge, inviting serious criticisms: however, I am ready to face them.
This book does not boast to be a comprehensive study of political events, but rather a commentary on the important issues of today, based on a deep knowledge on the recent Cypriot history and Greek way of thinking.
I have tried to draw a realistic picture of the existing political situation on the island and to unveil the facts which were denied by the Greek Cypriots for decades, becoming erased from the recent history of the island — events such as the clandestine sneaking of the Greek troops, numbering as much as 20,000, onto the island in the year 1964 in an effort to wipe out the Turkish Cypriots. This incident was so cleverly hidden form the public and erased from history that you can not find it in the Greek Cypriot history nor in the recorded press belonging to that era: however it remains in the reports of the UN and memoirs of the Greek politicians.
The Greek propaganda machine has the power and means to manipulate with careful planning, thereby altering history.
My special thanks go out to the authors who had an objective and unbiased understanding of Cypriot affairs and dared to write down their own findings without being affected by powerful Greek propaganda.
If there are mistakes of fact or errors of judgments in the pages which follow, I alone am to blame.
Prof. Dr. Ata ATUN
February 25, 2008
Famagusta