Turkish Cypriot reaction to the campaign for enosis
It is often alleged that Turkish Cypriots were roused to oppose enosis by the British colonialists, but there was a core of opposition in the Turkish Cypriot community from an early stage. Consider the following excerpt from a speech made by Zekia, a Turkish Cypriot member of the Legislative Council, in 1930.
We vehemently protest against this [pro-enosis] representation as we have always done in the past. We believe that if Cyprus were annexed to Greece there would be no chance of life for the Moslems in Cyprus. We know that the Greeks are in the majority in Cyprus, but there are many other countries in the world similar to Cyprus which are being administered by foreigners in spite of the fact that the majority of the people belong to another race. As is known to you, there is no principle in international law providing for the annexation of every country to the country which is homogeneous to it. Therefore I am surprised that my honorable Greek colleagues feel able to base this claim on international law. It would be possible to benefit the island much more if the question of union were set aside and of all the members of the Council were united in the taking of measures calculated to promote the development and progress of the country . . . . The divergent national feelings and sentiments prevailing in the island would make impossible the administration of justice in the island.
From Cyprus and the Governorship of Sir Ronald Storrs, by George Georghalides.