STRATEGIC LOCATION OF CYPRUS
By: Ahmet Ufuk Turan
STATE AND NATION
Date of Submission: December 12, 2018
PREFIX
In this study, in the light of geopolitical theories of Cyprus, the land, air, and sea dominance edge belt theory was evaluated. From this point of view, the main purpose of the research is to determine the place and importance of the geographical location of Cyprus in light of these theories.
INTRODUCTION
Relations between states, in the most recent form of politics, are determined. The determining element in this respect is usually geography. In this context, geography affects the power of the state in several ways. For example, the Soviet Union, with its large geography, has added depth to defense; the island established on the island, Europe, took the role of a balancing act and provided the US with the possibility of implementing the policy of solitude. Therefore, while discussing the effect of geography on the power of the state and foreign policy, long debates have been held on geographic determinism, and theories on it have been developed.
From this, it can be said that the economic prosperity, national strength, and security of a state depend to a great extent on the geographical position and the situation elements that lead each state's foreign policy and play an effective role It is. In this respect, without considering geographical factors, international policy. It is not possible to reveal the causes of movements.
Geopolitical Concepts of Cyprus:
In fact, when making geopolitical assessments, inevitably, due to the innovation of geopolitics, we speak of theories or geopolitical theory. In this respect, geopolitical studies on Cyprus can be evaluated under four main headings:
First: the theoretical position of Cyprus and the formation of power centers status; Second: the situation of Cyprus in relation to power centers in the world; Third: the situation of Cyprus according to the geographical position in the region, and the fourth one: the situation of Cyprus in relation to the power centers in the region. Therefore, while establishing policy, power, strategy, and target relations related to Cyprus, it will be ensured that the tactical action patterns related to the development of power are determined, and maximum utilization of geopolitics will be ensured.
As can be seen from these points, the conditions of the post-1990 period, in particular. The Eastern Mediterranean region has been the new field of the struggle of the great powers. East in this aspect, in the Mediterranean, the balance of global power in the bipolar world is replaced by the balance of regional power.
However, the increase in the number of actors participating in the strategic game affects the region's strategic position. The serious development of the value of the island can control sensitive geographies, the balance of strategic power in the Eastern Mediterranean, or the balance of this balance has made it difficult to sustain. Therefore, it will be necessary to evaluate by taking into consideration the possible results.
BODY
2. Geopolitical Elements in Cyprus:
It is obvious that geographic elements have a key place in political decisions. In this respect, geopolitical and geographic element to participate in politics. With this aspect, geopolitics gave an opportunity to look at the geography and consider the economic, social, military, and cultural principles.
Another feature of geopolitics is that the problems countries or states can the problems they face can rapidly evoke universal repercussions. As in the Cyprus issue, universal events are reflected in the national problems of the respective states. For this reason, it is necessary to interpret the international problems together with the national problems and to make geopolitical evaluations. In fact, the lack of this can be serious will be able to misinterpretation.
Because the national values in the country are sensitive to the effects of many factors. For this reason, they always expect care and attention. From this point of view, geopolitical data is the best thing to help in choosing a movement style for a state. In this respect, considering the Cyprus issue based on geography and dealing with economic, social, and military data in an integrated manner has brought geopolitics to the agenda. This weight was found to be the basis of the Annan plan, while the UN was involved in the plan for the Cyprus settlement, for example, in the Cuellar and Gali plans.
According to this, the geopolitical elements of Cyprus can be collected in separate groups.
1. Changing Elements of Cyprus: These are socio-cultural values, economic values, political values, military values, and time.
2. Unchanging Elements of Cyprus: These are respectively the borders of Cyprus or the region,
land structure, its place on earth, and its geographical character. values of the social, economic, political, military, and cultural environment, and the geopolitical variables of Cyprus. In fact, the human power of the island determines the basic condition of the geopolitics of Cyprus.
However, the low population of the island leaves the effectiveness of the human character on the surface. Therefore, the human element on the island is not affected by external influences and influences it as an area of influence.
On the other hand, elements that do not change in Cyprus but are based on geography can be grouped under: The first is the field. In this case, the field is a force. This being the Cyprus closer to Turkey, is far from Greece and is emerging as a crucial factor. This situation was seen to be felt in 1974.
The second unchanging element of geopolitics is geographic integrity. Especially island states, because they have this integrity, they are considered to be the most reliable states. However, this situation is of a comparative nature because there are two separate states in Cyprus. In fact, this separation, whose foundations were laid in 1963, made a serious contribution to Turkish society in the process of the state.
This process has resulted in the completion of the process with the stateization. The third invariant is the country occupied by the world or region in this direction, Cyprus, in general, in the Mediterranean basin, in particular, in the Eastern Mediterranean. It has an important place in the field.
Cyprus, in this way, North Africa, the Middle East, and it are directly related to the Mediterranean. Europe from the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea via Russia; the Indian Ocean through Iran and the Middle East to Asia; and over the Mediterranean Indirectly linked with Africa. In terms of threat and opportunity perceptions of the regional powers, it is not the right approach to conduct political analyses without taking into account the first-degree importance of Cyprus.
The fourth factor is the geographic character of the country. The country's island, edge, is very important whether it is an inland or continental state. Therefore, geographical considerations should not be made without taking into account the geographical characteristics of the states. In this respect, the geographical characteristics of Cyprus and the proximity to the mainland should be taken into account. For this reason, England occupied Cyprus in 1878 and letting in 1914. Thus, the UK gained a significant intelligence center, logistic support ramp, and influence activity in the strategic region of the Eastern Mediterranean. The changing elements are the human aspects of geopolitics, i.e., economic, social, time, military, and political values. That is why the location of a country, its economy, and external and defense policies closely affect its policies. The position of each state according to the force centers, it determines the foreign policy of the state. For example, the force of land, such as Cyprus, located in close or conflict zones, the international policy does not allow it to be kept outside. Especially, Cyprus should be close to the Middle East, and the fact that it has a prominent position in the conflict hampers this.
However, it is not possible to argue that geopolitical theories take into account all power balances in the world or respond to every situation. According to this situation, it is necessary to make new evaluations according to the position of the global powers and the state against each other.
3. In terms of Geopolitical Theories, Cyprus:
Geopolitical values, which are a necessity of our developing and globalizing world, have increased the field of activity and made themselves felt in decision centers. However, the real political elements of the 19th and 20th centuries show significant differences in this sense. In the view of Spykman, geopolitics is the geographic planning of a country's security policy. Wright defined geopolitics as the art of using geographic space in world politics. (alıntı)
In other words, the scientific ground, which will shape the political choices or political decisions that will lead to the solution of the problems that concern the entire world, has been developed by geopolitics. Therefore, without the geopolitical view, many problems regarding Cyprus cannot be resolved.
Geopolitical evaluation of Cyprus based on the developments in the 21st century, the geopolitical theories can be done with consideration.
With this movement, geopolitical theories can be grouped under two headings:
1. Force-based theories and
2. Theories based on geography
Essentially, the theories based on force are the subjects that the military strategy should seek to answer. These are the sea and air dominance theories. The theories based on geographic data are the Edge Management Theory and the Theory of Black Dominance. The truth is that the geopolitics of Cyprus should not be based on naked power or independent geography. Because the land, air, and sea of Cyprus are a whole geography. Therefore, a part of the Cyprus geography, in other words, uses only the sea, air, or land; the main factor of supply policy review is missing. According to this situation, the geopolitics of Cyprus, together with a joint evaluation of land, joint evaluation with sea, and airspace.
In fact, geographical location and geopolitical position in Cyprus express different meanings It is. Because of the geographical location of Cyprus, the location of the island according to physical geography can help explain the situation. The geopolitical position, together with the value of Cyprus, the power centers in the region, the political structure of the supply, and political perceptions of the island refers to the place and situation. As can be seen, the geopolitical position of Cyprus is far wider and more comprehensive than its geographical position. Therefore, the geographic location of the island will be of value when evaluated together with the elements of power. For example, the unification of the island's three land units, such as North Africa, the Middle East, and Anatolia.
The fact that it is located opposite the point causes it to gain value in terms of geographical position. In this respect, it closes the east to the west, west to the east, north to the south, and south to the north; The fact that it connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and that it is important for all three parts of the land increases this geographical feature even further.
When the geopolitical position of Cyprus is mentioned, in addition to all features, the merger of quad-power centers such as the US-CIS-EU-Middle East on the southeastern wing of NATO, Israel's exit to the Mediterranean to be contacted with the Islamic world, etc., current humanities and explain political values. In short, all of these are related to the geographical position of Cyprus. While specifying the feature based on geography, they expressed the elements of human power with its geopolitical position.
A country that neglects Cyprus is unlikely to be competent in global and regional politics. When the Middle East Oil Basin, Baku Ceyhan Pipeline, and Naubuko Project are taken into consideration, it will be understood that the island will increase its importance in this transition position, especially in the years ahead.
However, in assessing the position and situation of Cyprus in the geopolitical system, it is necessary to take into account that global and regional power centers can be replaced. For example, if today's world power center of power is the US, Europe, and CIS, if they lose their power center, if the new forces are formed in South America or East Asia, it is inevitable that the geopolitical position will change with the change in the geographical position of Cyprus.
The Importance of Cyprus According to the Theory of Land Dominance:
A study of a region or geography, such as Cyprus, only considers the global power level. Especially the physical position of Cyprus, regional without considering the conjuncture, geographical power, and its relationship with other power centers, any evaluation is an incomplete evaluation.
Actually, the geography of Cyprus, according to Mackinder's theory of land domination, is adjacent to the heartland and at an important point of the first margin. Especially Mackinder's theory. Cyprus, according to the geography of Anatolia, is located within the Eastern European field and is located in the center of the belt. According to this view, the presence of strategic targets on the territory of a region such as Cyprus, the presence of strategic targets in or around its territory, geostrategic reveals its position.
Because Cyprus, according to this theory, is located on the Inner or Edible Crescent. However, this position of Cyprus does not mean much. If the position of Cyprus in the Inner Crescent is to be examined more realistically, it will be a more rational method to evaluate it together with its effect on the nearest land part. Cyprus geopolitics implies that, first, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and Greece, in part, will have to assess in conjunction with the second as a global power and remove the element of threat.
This is because Cyprus, in this respect, sometimes sees opportunities and sometimes threats, cause. The geographical integrity of Cyprus will also need to be discussed. In fact, it is necessary to start with whether there is integrity in Cyprus. For example The British islands or the Iberian Peninsula are a geographic whole. However, in Cyprus, the same geographical
There are two separate states, such as the KC / GCA and the TRNC. because it is not possible to speak of the geographical integrity of the island politically. 50 in Cyprus. The foundation of the problem over the years lies here as well. The disputes of the communities on the island, as well as harming the geographical integrity of Cyprus, prevent them from benefiting sufficiently from this unity. Consequently, according to the Theory of Land Dominion, the deficiencies in the geographical integrity of Cyprus and the source and direction of threat perceptions diversify.
The Importance of Cyprus by Edge Belt Dominance Theory:
When carefully examined, II. The wars were mostly on the line called the edge belt. Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Cyprus, and the Iran-Iraq wars are examples. However, in Cyprus, there is a big difference in the war. Because of the limited war in Cyprus, others were not blocked, such as has occurred in the block and allies (Turkey and Greece) have been between. In fact, all these developments are the result of the Edge Belt Domination Theory, the result, and the application area. Besides, this theory is also applied to the location of the centers.
However, the disappearance of the Cold War balance developing in the east-west direction. rim land belt, located on the north-south connection paths of the eastern Mediterranean, and in the geography, wide geopolitical and geo-economic gaps. It can even be said that in the post-Cold War period, the geopolitical importance of Cyprus is related to the areas of space. Geopolitical this gap areas expressed their generation's most important public issue, as Turkey is located in the Anatolian Peninsula, Egypt is playing a leadership focus of conflict between Israel and the Islamic world in the Middle East, closely concerning.
Consequently, Cyprus can provide great advantages when evaluated well and can produce serious risks when used badly. The fact is that the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus, which is the only island in the region, where the Balkans and the Middle East intersect, emerges as an area of foreign policy that can be affected by the weaknesses in the region.
The Importance of Cyprus According to the Sea Dominance Theory:
This has made Cyprus the main competitive area based on the tactical maneuvers of global and regional powers. For example, the issues related to the Black Sea and the Straits were considered as an extension of inter-block relations within the framework of the USSR and NATO, while the Eastern Mediterranean basin of the Aegean and Cyprus was examined within the framework of the inter-block conflicts with Greece.
Returning to Mahan's theory of maritime dominance, the sea transport paths through the Suez Canal, passing through the Mediterranean, into the Indian and Pacific oceans, are elements to be controlled. In fact, the value of Mahan's views is that he has stated the freedom of movement provided by the sea. Thus, by controlling the seas, the world will be dominated. However, this means that sea routes.
It is directly proportional to the control of critical land zones. The truth is that Cyprus is today a merger of powers such as the US, Russia, the EU, and the Middle East, or at the intersection point. The center of these four forces: their presence protection, ensuring their safety, maintaining their development, or increasing their effectiveness.
In every case and in every attitude, the position of Cyprus is of interest to them. For this reason, they try to influence the position of Cyprus on almost every issue or to direct it according to its own interests. This is, of course, a multi-faceted and multi-element threat perception for Cyprus. In particular, the British bases in Cyprus stem from the strategic location of the island. Germany, which has an interest in Russia, should be seen as a product of the effort of GCA to take the whole of Cyprus to the EU and to produce a significant strategic interest on the southern line, where it is weak compared to the US.
The Importance of Cyprus by Air Dominance Theory:
According to this theory, the polarity of the international system is. It is divided into two areas of dominance that show the impact of the USSR. When this happens, dominance has stated that the geopolitical superiority of air in these two areas will be determined. As a result, the people who dominate the world will dominate the world. However, it is imperative to have the air force or the superiority of this force.
As the air base of Cyprus, the importance of evaluation is evident. Therefore, according to this theory, Cyprus's control of the airspace in this region leads to an increase in its strategic value. It is known that the Eastern Mediterranean area, with regional and global powers have become a competitive field.
The nature of a typical naval base. The island, supporting its leadership in the global and regional system, supports the conventional intervention and deterrence strategies based on continental-extreme and intra-regional air operations and air-assisted sea-take. Especially in the post-Cold War era, the island has been maintaining this feature, and it is one of the main elements of the strategies that will lead to conventional interventions based on extraction. Because the island is a platform for all directions of strategic and tactical air power to threaten maritime transport routes and land-driving axes, and maintains an unmatched aircraft carrier.
CONCLUSION
The geography of a country like Cyprus is a constant factor. But the diplomatic dimension of the geopolitics determined by this geography is a dynamic variable that must be reinterpreted according to the changes in the international power balances. Since the theoretical approaches to Cyprus cannot keep up with the times, geopolitical advantages have often turned into disadvantages. In fact, these original approaches to geopolitics will directly affect the political, economic, and security basic parameters of Cyprus.
In Cyprus, the island is no longer the ethnic problem or the Turkish-Greek conflict from the past. Actually, with this aspect, Cyprus is an issue of the Cold War. Hence, this limited Turkish-Greek and Turkish-Greek ethnic conflict in Cyprus must be removed from the equation. Because of Cyprus and the related issues, at an accelerated pace, and especially the Eurasian, Middle East, and EU issues. Therefore, Cyprus Geopolitics should be based on a new strategic framework. Otherwise, this matter, Cold War ideologies, doctrines, rhetoric, tactics, and so on. Solve with elements. It is not possible.
In fact, according to geopolitical theories, the situation of Cyprus is compared to other geographies. It is quite different. The geography of Cyprus, the central region indicated by the theory of land dominance, at the same time, the edge belt is considered the most important point.is located in one of them. For this reason, island geography is a geopolitical value in its own right. In fact, the fact that Cyprus is located at the intersection point of the theory of Land Dominance from the geopolitical theories and the Edge Generation theory confirms this view. especially II. It started with World War II and continued until today, in Cyprus. It has still been used as the main strategic concept in regional wars. As can be seen, Cyprus is included in all theories of domination. From this point of view, the island is a strategic target for controlling many strategic targets.
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