A strong Cypriot identity capable of transcending ethnicity has never developed. It would be hard to exaggerate the influence of each side's motherland, Greece and Turkey, since Cyprus won independence from Britain in 1960. And extremists on both sides have taken drastic measures against those who favor reconciliation. In the south, some Greek nationalists would like to relegate Turks to minority status on a reunified island, and the local Orthodox Church has taken a vehemently anti-Turkish stand. Neither government has prepared its people to live side by side again.
Economic tensions play a role, too, in perpetuating enmity.
While international aid has poured into the booming south, the years of partition and sanctions have hammered the northern Cyprus economy. Turkish Cypriots complain angrily about their isolation, saying it is driving them into the arms of Turkey and forcing friends and family to emigrate. The EU has barred Turkish Cypriot exports of citrus and other crops and levied prohibitive tariffs on the area's manufactured goods. To evade the sanctions, Turkish Cypriot businesses funnel Europe-bound products through Turkey. Mail and phone connections also run through Turkey.