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The report analyzes the historical transformation of Cyprus in the Turkish public imagination, moving from a 'national cause' (mid-1950s to early 2000s) to a 'national burden' (post-2002), and more recently to a 'national opportunity.' It examines how the 'securitization' of the Cyprus Problem by state elites and the military created an unquestionable national stance that lasted until the rise of the AK Party. The authors highlight growing tensions between Turkey and Turkish Cypriots, driven by paternalistic policies, economic austerity demands, and conflicting views on religious and national identity.

• From the mid-1950s to the early 2000s, Cyprus was framed as a 'national cause' (milli dava), a consensus-based position that combined strategic interests with the 'human' element of protecting ethnic brethren. This narrative was fostered by Turkish Cypriot elites, pan-Turkist intellectuals, and media through folk songs, films, and poetry, making any questioning of Turkey's role in Cyprus equivalent to treason.
• The 'securitization' of the Cyprus Problem transformed it from a foreign policy issue into a matter of national security, effectively removing it from the realm of public political debate. This process was supported by a collaboration between Turkish military-bureaucratic 'state elites' and Turkish Cypriot nationalist leaders, most notably Rauf Denktaş, who was revered in Turkey as a 'fighting man' (dava adamı).
• Turkish geopolitical claims to Cyprus are often grounded in the 'geological' argument that the island was once physically connected to Anatolia. This thesis is used to argue that Cyprus is an intrinsic part of the 'Motherland' (Vatan) and to dismiss Greek claims as 'delusions' or 'myths,' asserting that Greek Cypriots are not ethnically Greek but a 'hybrid race.'
• Following the election of the AK Party in 2002 and the failure of the 2004 Annan Plan, the perception of Cyprus shifted from a 'national cause' to a 'national burden.' This pragmatic shift occurred as the government sidelined the military and viewed the island through a lens of strategic interest rather than ideological kinship, leading to a policy of 'developing' the north through state and private investment.
• Recent Turkish public discourse has begun to frame Cyprus as a 'national opportunity,' viewing the island as a potential hub for natural gas distribution and a strategic launching pad for collaboration with Russia and Israel, as well as a foothold in Europe.
• Relations between Turkey and Turkish Cypriots have soured in the post-Annan period, characterized by a shift from a paternal to a paternalistic relationship. Tensions peaked in 2011 when Prime Minister Erdoğan reacted aggressively to Turkish Cypriot protests against austerity measures, using language that Turkish Cypriots interpreted as treating them like servants (besleme).
• There is a prevalent perception in the Turkish public that Turkish Cypriots are ungrateful or do not love Turks. This is compounded by a view of the island as a center for 'decadent' tourism, including gambling and sex trafficking, and a belief among religious conservatives that Turkish Cypriots have lost their Islamic identity due to 'unadulterated Kemalism.'

APA

Bryant, R., & Hatay, M. (n.d.). Layout 1. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/df365ffd-6d53-44a1-a232-aa95409440f9/Turkish Perceptions of Cyprus Report-WEB 1 2015.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Bryant, Rebecca, and Mete Hatay. Layout 1. Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/df365ffd-6d53-44a1-a232-aa95409440f9/Turkish Perceptions of Cyprus Report-WEB 1 2015.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bryant |first1=Rebecca |last2=Hatay |first2=Mete |title=Layout 1 |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/df365ffd-6d53-44a1-a232-aa95409440f9/Turkish Perceptions of Cyprus Report-WEB 1 2015.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bryantndlayout, author = {Bryant, Rebecca and Hatay, Mete}, title = {{Layout 1}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/df365ffd-6d53-44a1-a232-aa95409440f9/Turkish Perceptions of Cyprus Report-WEB 1 2015.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }