Re-considering Nonresolution in Cyprus: The Impact of Illiberal Conditions on Liberal Peacebuilding

Although bi-communal violence in Cyprus ended almost 50 years ago, the island’s northern and southern sides have yet to reach a comprehensive peace deal. As a result, Cypriots live in a state of functional coexistence whereby they interact with each other in a limited fashion and nonviolently. This article examines the most common explanations for the status quo of nonresolution that has existed in Cyprus for decades before offering a new explanation to consider and address this nonresolution: the mismatch between “liberal” peacebuilding interventions and “illiberal” conditions. To overcome this mismatch, this article argues that it is first necessary to address illiberal conditions to allow peacebuilding attempts to be successful. If illiberalities are not dealt with, they will not only sustain and perpetuate nonresolution, but they will also prevent the emergence of positive peace.