British Policy in Cyprus in the Second Half of 1940-ies: Lord Winster’s Constitutional Draft

Abstract

The position of Cyprus in the second half of the 1940-ies is discussed, when after the Second world war Britain decided to modify their colonial policy and to grant Cyprus a new Constitution, granting a number of rights as the Greek and Turkish communities of the island. On the basis of British documents, works of foreign authors, as well as articles from newspapers of that time the overview of British policy towards the island is given. The special role of the island for great Britain is mentioned because of the beginning the process of decolonization after the Second world war. The article focuses on the activities of the Assembly to prepare a constitutional draft of Lord Winster, according to which Cyprus was to occur a number of entities controlled primarily by the British administration. The problems of the Cyprus society of that time are highlighted associated primarily with the different perception of the constitutional project by two Cyprus communities. The existence of contradictions in the Cypriot society is considered. The commitment of the Greek Cypriots and the Church of Cyprus to the idea of enosis (a movement for annexation of Cyprus to Greece) is mentioned.