Since 1974, the southern part of Cyprus has been under the control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus while the northern part has been ruled by a Turkish Cypriot administration which proclaimed itself the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).” The United States does not recognize the “TRNC,” nor does any country other than Turkey. A substantial number of Turkish troops remain on the island. A buffer zone or “green line” patrolled by the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) separates the two parts. The Republic of Cyprus is a constitutional republic and multiparty presidential democracy with approximately 780 thousand citizens. President Tassos Papadopoulos was elected in February 2003 in free and fair elections. The civilian authorities maintained effective control of the security forces. The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas. The following human rights problems were reported:
police abuse, violations of asylum seekers’ rights, violence against women, trafficking in persons