Cyprus-Forum.com

[BirKibrisli]

Birkibrisli, I think the term Greek/Turkish Cypriot is more correct than Cypriotturk/CypriotGreek since the noun in the first case is the "Cypriot" which in my opinion carries more weight than the adjective "Greek/Turkish" which is just an attribute of the noun (Cypriot).

If you say CypriotTurk, then "Cypriot" becomes just an attribute.

The again there is high possibility I am wrong in this since I was never good in grammar ...

Piratis,Grammatically you are correct.Cypriot as a noun makes it more significant.But I am soooooo sick of hearing and reading and writing about
Greek/Turkish Cypriots.It reminds me of our violent/hateful past somehow. I would love to say just Cypriot but that would be very confusing if people don't know which adjective I mean.

I am simply emulating the style left wing unionists are using in Turkish in Cyprus.They say Kibrisliturk,Kibrislirum etc...The turk and greek bit is always in lower case and they are attached to Kibrisli(Cypriot) bit which always begins with Capital K. It is an attempt to make our ethnic origin less significant than when they appear as Turkish or Greek as adjectives.
So think about Cypriotturk not about Cypriot Turk

[The Cypriot]

An article by Nick Pittas in today's (Sunday 12/2/05) Cyprus Mail makes some excellent points to Greek Cypriots on National Pride:

Looking back at our modern history, we can see how off the mark we were in defining our political goals and interests under the distortion of fanatical sloganeering and actions based on ideals and values that blocked a clear sighted view of political reality in the region. If by some miracle Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots were to announce today that the Greek Cypriots are entirely free to decide for themselves any form of government they wish to have for the whole island, does anyone doubt that the result would be the reverse of the 1950 plebiscite in support of Enosis?

Does anyone really think that free to choose for ourselves today we would give up our status as a member of the international community and the EU in order to become a province of Greece like Crete?

The answer is obvious and it should tell us that instead of perpetuating a political climate within Greek Cypriot society based on nationalistic anachronisms, we should turn our talents to nurturing a close and co-operative relationship with the Turkish Cypriots based on shared economic and cultural interests. We need more than anything else to cultivate relations free of the vestiges of ancient antagonisms and atrocities inflicted on each other at the altar of false political gods and ideals.

Rauf Denktash has always tried to convince foreigners that there is no Cypriot identity or shared political interests between his community and ours. Our goal as a community should be to prove him wrong, and to show the rest of the world that we have the political maturity to give up our zero sum approach to inter-communal negotiations where every concession is seen as a loss for us and a gain for the other side. Our objective should be to find a common ground where both communities can win, and preserve their cultures and distinct identities under a federal power sharing agreement for the greater benefit of all.

[BirKibrisli]

An article by Nick Pittas in today's (Sunday 12/2/05) Cyprus Mail makes some excellent points to Greek Cypriots on National Pride:

Looking back at our modern history, we can see how off the mark we were in defining our political goals and interests under the distortion of fanatical sloganeering and actions based on ideals and values that blocked a clear sighted view of political reality in the region. If by some miracle Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots were to announce today that the Greek Cypriots are entirely free to decide for themselves any form of government they wish to have for the whole island, does anyone doubt that the result would be the reverse of the 1950 plebiscite in support of Enosis?

Does anyone really think that free to choose for ourselves today we would give up our status as a member of the international community and the EU in order to become a province of Greece like Crete?

The answer is obvious and it should tell us that instead of perpetuating a political climate within Greek Cypriot society based on nationalistic anachronisms, we should turn our talents to nurturing a close and co-operative relationship with the Turkish Cypriots based on shared economic and cultural interests. We need more than anything else to cultivate relations free of the vestiges of ancient antagonisms and atrocities inflicted on each other at the altar of false political gods and ideals.

Rauf Denktash has always tried to convince foreigners that there is no Cypriot identity or shared political interests between his community and ours. Our goal as a community should be to prove him wrong, and to show the rest of the world that we have the political maturity to give up our zero sum approach to inter-communal negotiations where every concession is seen as a loss for us and a gain for the other side. Our objective should be to find a common ground where both communities can win, and preserve their cultures and distinct identities under a federal power sharing agreement for the greater benefit of all.

Great post,my Cypriot brother.
I second that.

[The Cypriot]

Thank you, Birkibrisli.

We'll get there my friend.... together we'll get there.

[Piratis]

Two points on Pittas article:

"The other side" is not Turkish Cypriots but Turkey.

Our objective should be to find a common ground where both communities can win, and preserve their cultures and distinct identities under a federal power sharing agreement for the greater benefit of all.

The objective is the easy part. Tell us what is this win-win that both communities and Turkey (and US and UK) would accept. Thats the hard part.

[The Cypriot]

To carry on believing that things can never change for the better - because Turkey and the other foreign powers won't allow things to change. That's easy, Pirati mu.

The hard part is believing that a win-win solution is really achievable; believing in the concept of 'Cypriot' interests - as opposed to the 'Greek Cypriot' or 'Turkish Cypriot' interests; promoting these with a passion - even when it goes against the grain and invites cynicism, mockery, anger, accusations, even, of treachery. God knows, that's the hard part.