ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

UN Security Council Resolution 155

UN Security Council Resolution 155 was a resolution unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council at its 892nd session on 24 August 1960. The decision stated that the Cyprus Republic may be member of the UN General Assembly according to the decision adopted on 24 August 1960.

The resolution dealt with the admission of the Republic of Cyprus as a new member, and was recommended by the Security Council to the UN General Assembly. It followed an application for membership from the Republic of Cyprus, which had been submitted to the United Nations in July 1960.

Historical background

The island of Cyprus remained under Ottoman rule for three centuries before being transferred to the United Kingdom in 1878. The UK officially annexed Cyprus and made it a protectorate in 1914, during World War I. In 1925, despite opposition from Greek Cypriots, the British government declared Cyprus a colony.

In the following decades, tensions between Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities grew, leading to revolts such as Oktovriana in 1931. The British responded by establishing a dictatorial regime called "Palmerocracy" after Governor Richmond Palmer's name. In 1955, Greek Cypriots took up arms against the British power, which recruited Turkish Cypriot militias to strengthen its colonial troops.

The 1959 Zurich and London Agreements put an end to the anti-colonial struggle, and the Treaty of Guarantee guaranteed the abandonment of any future British territorial claim. The treaty also established a constitutional balance between Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus, with the UK, Turkey, and Greece serving as guarantors. In particular, it granted a right of military intervention under certain conditions to restore the constitutional order if it was to be amended.

Following this resolution, the country became an independent Republic in 1960 and adopted its own Constitution. It also became a member of the United Nations on September 20, 1960.

The resolution was unanimously accepted by the Security Council on August 24, 1960, recommending that the UN General Assembly accept Cyprus as a new member. The decision marked an important step in the country's integration into international organizations and its recognition as a sovereign state.