Enosis

The word enosis is Greek for union. During the time when Britain ruled Cyprus (1889 - 1959), and since Cypriot independence, the word has referred to a proposed union in which Cyprus would become a part of Greece. Enosis became an international issue in the 1950s when the United Nations began to debate the issue. It has been advocated by some Cypriots of Greek ethnicity and opposed by those of Turkish ethnicity. Archbishop Makarios, who was president of Cyprus from the time of its independence until his death 28 years later, advocated enosis.