Cyprus-Forum.com

[iskismet]

I am desperately trying to understand why the TCs voted yes in the recent Annan Plan.

Everything I see and hear leads me to believe the vote should have been no.

Please - I would like a reasonable discussion without acrimony and threats.

[Piratis]

Because the Annan partition plan legalized the actions of the illegal Turkish invasion with the added bonus of EU money.

[Chrisswirl]

What would your solution be, then? Unless you're willing to compromise there will be no solution.

In my perfect solution, the number of Greeks allowed to go back would be higher, but more Turks would be encouraged South too. However Papadopolous didn't negotiate so it's his own fault. He dug his own grave and one day the Greeks will realise this, I would rate him as almost as bad as Denktash, and actually Talat seems more interested in a solution than him. There are many others in Cyprus that are much more forward thinking than Tassos and I truley believe it's time he let others have a go.

[iskismet]

Chrisswirl

I don't know what the solution is. I can understand why the GCs voted against it, but I cannot work out why the TCs voted for it.

I'm sure it is more than just gaining legal acceptance and EU money. In any case EU and American money is now being paid over to the trnc. I would have said they had a lot more to lose by voting yes in terms of autonomy.

I suppose the ideal would be two separate states with a federal government and each state with the power of veto but wouldn't that just be a minor step up from the 60/70 enclaves?

I can accept the idea that enosis is now dead for the vast majority of GCs(something I have learnt from these types of forums - and as a result of the Turkish Action) and that the Akritis Plan or similar notions is not something that can be resurrected.

But the level of mistrust between the two sides seems impossible to overcome.

[Chrisswirl]

The Turkish side lives in isolation and really needs to be opened up to the outside world. They live in some sort of legal vaccum where they're not sure what's even there's. What have they to loose?

The thing is, it's not the people but the President that's really to blame. The Cyprus problem is so complicated that the people often look to the higher powers to see what they think, and when they heard Papadopoulos's speech he reignited old fears and so they voted "Oxi". However on the Turkish side, Mr Talat was speaking sense. Yes, there was compromise, but I truley beleive that after everything settled down, the Turkish Cypriot way of life would improve, where as at the moment many Turkish Cypriots have left due to lack of jobs etc.

As for the level of mistrust, I beleive this is improving as people are realising that they should not beleive everything they read. I advise everyone to go read Birds Without Wings for a touching story about Anatolia, and to realise just how well the Turks and Greeks got along together before it all went wrong. Just think, a Turk asking a Greek to pray to Panayia for their son's return, and vice versa with Greeks asking for Islamic favour.

However, this is a Greek Cypriot point of view :-/. So you'd be better off asking a Turkish Cypriot why they voted yes, really, as I can't explain from their prospective.

[iskismet]

The future I see, and unfortunately on this forum it will be met with abuse, is a status quo.

My feeling is the No vote by the GCs has alienated the EU and the TCs will benefit (it has already started with aid from the EU and the USA).

I see Turkey being accepted into the EU and Cyprus not being an issue (what did the US say, 'We're an elephant and Cyprus is just a flea'). The trnc will begin to be recognised, informally at first, but eventually formally and worldwide.

At that stage (or perhaps sooner) Turkey will begin to withdraw troops and leave behind a self ruling separate country.

This is my view of the future. Please reread the first sentence.

[Piratis]

I suppose the ideal would be two separate states with a federal government and each state with the power of veto but wouldn't that just be a minor step up from the 60/70 enclaves?

If your aim is partition (which obviously is) then the only thing that will be good enough for you is the legalization of the illegal occupation, something that can never happen.

What would your solution be, then? Unless you're willing to compromise there will be no solution.

Here: http://www.cyprus-forum.com/cyprus211.html

Thats the minimum I (and I believe most of us) can accept. Otherwise Cyprus would become a banana republic and most of us will be forced to leave. (do you live in Cyprus?)

A solution should be one that will solve the Cyprus problem, not create more problems and the conditions for a new disaster.

[Chrisswirl]

I hope you are incorrect, I truley do.

[Piratis]

This is my view of the future. Please reread the first sentence.

Will see. I bet you are wrong. The unfortunate thing is that many TCs bet with the futures of their children that you are right, and unfortunately they will loose this bet and this time the only ones they will be able to blame will be themselves.

Sure, some peanuts it terms of some million dollars and some semi-upgrade of their status is possible. But in the end they will just continue to be a huge military base, controlled by the army, where settlers will become more and more powerful, with no democracy and a standard of living that will be even further than ours than it is today.

We will see ...

[iskismet]

Piratis

My aim is NOT partition it is peace for all. But I like to think I am a realist. I cannot see a solution that suits everybody. Both sides are just too far apart and too much has happened between them.

What my view of the future does do is allow for the illegal occupation to exist (however unfortunate that is) - and for the trnc status quo to be slowly accepted as it is by the rest of the world.

And almost by default for the Turkish army to slowly 'evaporate'

I initially wanted to discuss partition to get yours and others points of view. I have never advocated partition but I can see the advantages from the TC side. Iti is why I cannot understand why they voted yes.