Police Cooperation in Cases of Unrecognised Secessions: The Joint Communications Room in Cyprus

Abstract

Since 1974 the Republic of Cyprus only exercises effective control in the south, while the unrecognised ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ exercises effective control in the north of the island of Cyprus. An increasing realisation among the two sides that effective policing requires the collaboration of their respective law enforcement agencies, led to the creation of the Joint Communications Room (JCR). The article frames the JCR as an example of engagement without recognition and assesses its effectiveness through an analysis of the cases it has been involved in between its creation in 2009 and 2018.

Keywords: Cyprus, Frozen conflict, Engagement without recognition, Police cooperation