From the formation of NATO in 1949 until Cyprus gained its independence in 1960, the territory was a crown colony of the United Kingdom and as such the UK's NATO membership also applied to
British Cyprus.[4][5]
The 1974
Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the subsequent and ongoing
dispute, in which Turkey continues to occupy
Northern Cyprus, complicates Cyprus' relations with NATO.[14][15] Any treaty concerning Cyprus' participation in NATO, either as a full member, PfP or
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, would likely be vetoed by
Turkey, a full member of NATO, until the dispute is resolved.[16] NATO membership for a reunified Cyprus has been proposed as a solution to the question of security guarantees, given that all three of the current guarantors under the
Treaty of Guarantee (1960) (Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom) are already NATO members.[17][18]
Cyprus has historically followed a
non-aligned foreign policy, although it increasingly identifies with the West in its cultural affinities and trade patterns, and maintains close relations with the rest of the
European Union (including Greece), as well as Armenia, Lebanon, and Russia.[19][20][21]
The prime originator of Cypriot non-alignment was Archbishop of Cyprus
Makarios III, the first
President (1960–1977) of the independent republic of Cyprus.[22]
Intercommunal rivalries and movements for
union with Greece or partial union with Turkey persuaded Makarios to steer clear of close affiliation with either side. In any case Cyprus became a high-profile member of the Non-Aligned Movement and retained its membership until its entry into the
European Union in 2004.[23][24] At the non-governmental level, Cyprus has also been a member of the popular extension of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Organisation hosting high-level meetings.[25][26]
Immediately after the 1974
coup d'état and the
Turkish invasion, Makarios secured international recognition of his administration as the legitimate government of the whole island. This was disputed only by
Turkey, which currently recognizes only the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, established in 1983.[27][28]
Since the 1974 invasion, the chief aim of the foreign policy of the Republic of Cyprus has been to secure the withdrawal of Turkish forces and the reunification of the island under the most favorable constitutional and territorial settlement possible.[29][30] This campaign has been pursued primarily through international forums such as the
United Nations and the
Non-Aligned Movement, and in recent years through the European Union.[31][32][33]
Since the entry into force of the
Treaty of Lisbon in 2009, the EU mutual solidarity clause applies to Cyprus along with other EU member states:[37][38]
If a Member State is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. This shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States. [...]
Article 42.2 specifies however that
NATO shall be the main forum for the implementation of collective self-defence for EU member states that are also NATO members.[39] The other EU member states that are outside NATO resort to the EU's
Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP, which has a much smaller structures and capabilities than NATO's command structure) for the implementation of collective self-defence are
Austria,
Ireland, and
Malta.[citation needed]
In May 2022, Cyprus Defence Minister, Charalambos Petrides, confirmed that the country would not apply to NATO despite the
Russian invasion of Ukraine.[40]