Building Confidence in Peace : Public Opinion and the Cyprus Peace Process

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been racked by years of violence between its Greek and Turkish residents --including an attempted coup d'état engineered by Greece and a subsequent invasion by Turkey. In March 2008, a peace process was launched by the Greek Cypriot president Demetris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat. In this context CEPS, in collaboration with Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot partners, conducted a survey to find out what Cypriots think of each other, of the peace process, and of possible solutions to the conflict. This book analyzes the results of the survey. The aim of the project and of the book is to act in support of the peace process. It explores avenues to increase public confidence in the process and searches for a solution that would meet the consent of both communities. The authors suggest ways in which the leaders in Cyprus and the EU could raise public confidence in, and offer incentives for, peace on the island.