(or because Rapprochement is at heart an erotic one, which in these times means revolutionary desire)

THE HISTORY OF CYPRUS is inextricably linked to its geographical position as the crossroads of three continents and corresponding cultures. Politically and militarily, this meant that the island was an essential “gendarmerie station” or “ transit centre” for the empires or rulers who occasionally imposed their power in the region. This almost continuous conquest -dependence of the island on foreign powers- has left a deep tradition of subservience to foreigners and an inability, so far, for Cypriots to perceive themselves as masters of their land, as autonomous individuals in an autonomous society. On the other hand, the constant intersection of cultures and influences has created the infrastructure of a future where Cyprus could function as a cultural centre - a bridge between the cultures that surround it. This is the historical dilemma before us at this moment: A Cyprus united with a sense of autonomy and its historical potential or a Cyprus divided - an extension of foreign dependencies.