Farid Mirbagheri builds up an authoritative picture of how the Cyprus problem grew out of the independence settlement and has developed since. He analyses each stage: how the successive discussions were conducted, what were the reactions to them of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leadership, and how external actors were involved: Britain, Greece, Turkey, the United States and, before its demise, the Soviet Union.

As a record and impartial analysis the book will have a special status, reinforced by the presence in an appendix of key documents.