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Majority of Turkish Cypriots want two states

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Friday, November 6, 2009

NICOSIA - Anatolia News Agency

A majority of Turkish Cypriots want two separate and independent states in Cyprus, according to a survey conducted by the Quality Search, Consultancy and Education Center, or KADEM.

Some 77.9 percent of respondents said they want two separate states on the conflict-divided island, while 63 percent did not believe talks between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot presidents would lead to a successful reunification of the island.

The survey asked respondents how they would vote if the Annan Plan were resubmitted to a referendum: 30.1 percent said “yes,” 45.1 percent said “no” and 20.9 percent were undecided.

When the Annan Plan went to a referendum on April 24, 2004, 65 percent of Turkish Cypriots approved the plan.

In addition, 4 percent of respondents were against the current situation, 48.5 percent did not want integration with Turkey while 42.6 percent supported such integration.

The KADEM research company conducted the survey with 1,114 people.

33 Comments PRINTER FRIENDLY

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Guest - erden
2009-11-26 01:26:06

One Sentence , Harry Scott Gibbons, The genocide Files.

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-11 22:33:53

@Dinos. Nice try but we have already had this argument before & if you recall it was the greeks claiming the "whole island" when they were protesting their claims of indigenous existences. Your/your fellow nationalists ideas were to remove all turks from the island to where they belong & leave all the greeks on cyprus, on their own. So I mentioned the idea of reconstructing the galaxy & returning molecules to their righful origins, viz a viz 'big bang' theory. Seems like that theory has resonated well with you. There are no other islanders here besides turkish & greek. And we dont need your advice on how to live peacefully & to maintain our existence for that matter!!!

Guest - Dinos Plassaras
2009-11-11 17:56:03

@Enturk: My comments seem to have the opposite effect on you compared to what I was hoping they would. Let me try to address this from a really long term perspective. The truly endogenous islanders have lived in that space for more than 12,000 years. I believe a recent archaeological dig found evidence of inhabitants dating back to 10,100 BC. This is the first time in the island's history that a claim of separation has been made based on historical events that are dwarfed when one looks at the overall history of the place. Imagine for a second what the island would look like if anyone with a transitory claim in its history wanted to keep a part of it. The Crusaders of Richard the Lionheart would then keep a piece, the Venetians another, the Ottomans still another and the British another yet. At this rate of claim where would the endogenous people live? where are they to go? this is their birth place through an unbroken generational chain of millenia. From what I have read and know, the Greek Cypriots are accepting the the idea of co-existence and co-habitation under one roof. Once you start splitting a given geographical area then you set a precedent of further divisions and subdivisions. All the islanders want is to be left on their own to have a life.

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-11 11:22:35

@Dinos. The words shouldve ovbiously been searched, understood & responded to separately & intelligently. As for our friend Orwell, I have two words: Oh-well! Another silly diversion tactic you conveniently found in the poor guy. Apologies for not simplifying this to you. Now, for this Davutoglu rumours - please dont concern yourself with silly rumours like that, they probably originated in some yesteryear greek village by a tragic "enosis" dreamer. I'll shall remind you that its not very prudent to reference these "sources". Could you please just explain to me one thing? Why you people are sooooo opposed to the two-state solution. Just why? Whats eating you all up? What has you all sooooo defensive about this whole concept? What is the fear of you all? To what do we owe this renewed fanaticism, this fear mongering, this demonizing, this blackmail, this hatred, this negativity, this insolent greed. We have lived in partition for 35 years pal, its been fine. The kids are fine, their kids are fine, everything is fine, except our isolation & fear of another greek ETHNIC CLEANSING CAMPAIGN. And please dont tell me you are appealing to "our common sense & humanity". WE ARE THE ONES ISOLATED BECAUSE OF YOU. YES YOUUUUU! AND YES I WILL SCREAM IT OUT IF I WANT THANKYOU VERY MUCH. I will do exactly as I will actually; again refer word "FREEDOM" maybe in a dictionary this time. My goodness, you people are unbelievable..........

Guest - Dinos Plassaras
2009-11-10 23:31:12

@Enturk: By the way, I run a search for "Peace,Freedom and Two States" as you suggested and the first hit was George Orwell's novel "1984". I was particularly struck by the slogan in the novel "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Power". Did you chose it on purpose? quite eerie: http://www.google.com/search?q=Peace%2C+Freedom+%2C+Two+States&rls=com.microsoft:el-GR:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA_en

Guest - Dinos Plassaras
2009-11-10 18:36:26

I think it's very clear where you stand (no need for capital letters) and in the end you may get what you wish for only to discover that this is not what you envisioned in the first place. Dearest fellow, I am not saying to you that all arguments of your side are wrong and by definition my side's arguments are right (By the way there is a whole spectrum of opinion in these matters on both the Greek and Turkish side). What I am trying to do(apparently unsuccessfully) is to appeal to your humanity and your common sense. After all, these are your neighbors whether you are separated from them through a house fence or a dividing wall(I've noticed lately that walls are not very fashionable - silly Germans). So set aside for a minute your own preferences and ponder what the effect on the next generations will be, as well as, what the effect is today to those that they been wronged. BTW, the rumor is that Davutoglu is going to "shock" the world with Turkey's goodwill and withdraw the Turkish troops from the island.

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-10 09:34:08

@Dinos. Come on, come clean. Lets not let our amnesias get the better of us. Negativity is the domain of the Greek cypriots. Have you not seen the comments of ALL your fellow nationalists. They are 99% NEGATIVE. But, naturally, when the TURKISH CYPRIOTS demand similar rights, freedoms & peace, again they are the wrong ones, the demons. Thats amazing! In otherwords, everything you greek cypriots say is right & everything we say is wrong, right? WRONG! By the way, we are not interested in philosphical debates about righteousness & bla bla bla or figures on the island demographies. Again, yuor living in the past! The only words we want to hear is: PEACE, FREEDOM & TWO-STATES!!! Look these up somewhere & then try again.

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-09 22:25:46

Guest - Dinos Plassaras
2009-11-09 17:01:12

Sorry...I meant "not to get what you want".

Guest - Dinos Plassaras
2009-11-09 16:43:07

@Enturk: Your antagonism is noted and perhaps is the best example why many believe that Turkish Cypriots only pretend to be negotiating at the moment, I am sure your feelings are shared by many in Turkey as well. It makes me sad to hear of such negative predisposition towards any constructive solution/proposals towards reunification. The reason I showed you the Greek Cypriot YES vote for the Annan plan was not to suggest anything else other than a hint reminder that the Turkish Cypriots represent only a portion of the total population (about 1/5 of the total) and yet despite the last minute effort to put forward a flawed proposal the Greek Cypriot side still provided 2/3 of the of the total YES vote. Imagine what a well coordinated campaign of the reunification benefits could have yielded. Apparently you want to hear none of it. They say that they are two tragedies in life: (a) one is not to get want you want and (b) the other is to get exactly what you wished for. With your leadership and example soon the island will have not one but two tragedies indeed.

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-09 08:06:44

@Peter, Christoph & Dinos - applaud your skills in issue diversion, top marks to you! Your logics & arguments are all but weaker by the day. And to think the EU/UN even listens to this ranting, racist bunch of people. Thats unbelievable. What a sham, what a farce! Simple example of greeks voting twice as much as turks for Annan. What a stupid example. This has nothing to do with anything but relativity to population size. You forgot the other HUGE % that said NO. Guess what we learned something from you guys in all this circus. The word NO. Thats right, OHI, HAYIR etc etc. So that is our answer to you. NO!!! The only yes is TWO-STATES. And under our terms. Not a single cent or inch of land to you, EVER! Understand this, we do not only favour a TWO-STATE solution, WE DEMAND IT!!!!!!!!

Guest - Albert
2009-11-09 07:17:32

Partition is the Wisdom of Solomon. Cut the baby in half and give each person half. Without a solution of either allowing refugees to live in their homes or payment of compensation Turkey will be in the European Court until 2087 and have to 25 billion in compensation apart from roughly equal that number in legal costs and interest. There was a unilateral declaration in 1983 remember. Why are the Turks still "negotiating" when they claim that they have created own country out of the homes of others.THe comment about "creeping recognition" is laughable. The countries whose recognition counts would have recognized the TRNC in 1983 if that was the case and what sought of precedent does it set even for a country like Turkey itself. Persecuted ethnic minorities in Turkey who could only dream of the benefits Turkish Cypriots enjoyed in Cyprus before 1974 will also be recognized as having little statelets Turkey itself would be carved up into a dozen little countries. What will Turkey do if its left out of the EU- and it faces pressure to let Cyprus is let into Nato. Will Turkey run to the East which it not only abandoned but actively profited from attacks by the west?

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-08 22:20:06

Guest - Bored
2009-11-08 13:09:32

Yawn...The Christophs and the P Joannou still banging the same old propaganda...Please be honest as this is the only way there can be a settlement , recognising that Greek Cypriots were the main party to the conflict and their is a cost to a conflict which you lose. In 2004 a plan which was fair to both parties but also included compromises which would be painful for each side was put on the table and rejected by the Greeks , today if they had accepted it two thirds of Greek Cypriots would have had the right to return to land they lost..the vast majority of Turkish trooops would have left the island and Cyprus would have been united in two autonomous regions with each community having control of their daily lives. This was rejected by the Grek Cypriots as they wish to have total control of the island. Dream on, if you genuinely believe thatthe Turkish Cypriots would ever agree to live on an island wher they will be treated as some minority with 2nd class citizenship. Remember Cyprus was Turkish until the Turks formally gave the Island to the Brits in 1923, if they had insisted on the island return, then the Greek Cypriots would only be a minority of 1% in Turkey- so the Greek Cypriots have a good deal, they just need to recognise this.

Guest - Dinos Plassaras
2009-11-08 12:40:50

@Enturk: I agree with you that the decision is yours to make and I hope you choose with wisdom and with long term perspective. If Turkey wishes to be known as a "zero problem with its neighbors" regional player then there is no better testing ground than Cyprus. By the way, twice as many Greek Cypriots voted for the Annan plan than Turkish Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriot vote was 50,500 YES and the Greek Cypriot community produced 99,976 YES votes (almost double). My understanding is that the Annan plan was undergoing numerous revisions up to the time of the vote which made it almost impossible to have any clarity on its constituent elements. I can not speak for the islanders whose opinion reigns supreme for the island's future, but in my humble opinion reunification is a win-win while partition is a lose-lose proposition. May God (Allah) help us all.

Guest - peter Joannou
2009-11-08 06:03:37

I can understand the Turkish Cypriots wanting to be separate and independent. That would have been absolutely fine and reasonable if that was done without stealing the land and properties of others, violating numerous UN resolutions and human rights etc. It is not the Greek Cypriots fault that they have been subjected to the propaganda of partition by Turkey using fear and making their security a major issue. The Greek Cypriots are people too and they are concerned about their safety too having Turkey, a powerful military country next to them. A country with no good human rights record still struggling on the way to full democracy, unable to solve her own minority problems. The solution Turkey is trying to impose in Cyprus, no Turk dares to spell for the minorities in Turkey mainly Kurdish, Alevis who will dream to have some of the rights the Turkish Cypriots had prior to 1974.

Guest - Christoph
2009-11-08 04:57:48

If Turks want a 2 state solution in Cyprus then first they have to pay Greek Cypriots for the property they own. If Turkey pays $ 10-20 Billion for the property rights, sure they can have their own state. But you have to pay to play, Turkey! EU courts are very clear on this issue and they will NOT let you get away without compensating Greek Cypriots for the property you took.

Guest - Bored
2009-11-08 02:15:09

Nicos Turks owned 30% of land when the Island became independent and that does not include vakif land which the Greek Cypriots illegally built on such as the greek suburb if varosha..get your facts right.

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-08 00:36:58

@Dinos et al. Appreciate your attempts at 'some what diplomacy' but its a little too late & again too 'greek-inclined' than we would otherwise accept. The balls in our court. We will strengthen our ties with turkey & EU through mutual cooperation & respect & also adopt a 'zero problem' policy as our turkish brothers have & yes this includes with the GC people. However this can & will only occur under the "TWO-STATE SOLUTION". You will not be our ISRAEL forever & we not the PALESTINE. Galimera!

Guest - Erden
2009-11-07 23:33:55

I just have to say, you racist greeks who are saying, get Turks out of cyprus leave cyprus etc, this is against all EU principles it is infact illegal and extremely natzi/racist like. Imagine Turkey saying openly Get these greeks out of Istanbul or France saying Get these Muslims out of France or America saying Get these Africans out of America, you think you stand for european standards? have a laugh why dont cha'. By Human rights laws, more than you would expect of the Mainland Turks in Cyprus will have to remain, as it would be against their human rights to make them leave, and remember in the case of reunion we would be equal, and who would stop us giving residence to what ever race we like? Why do you feel that you can let Russians, Pakistanis, Greeks, and all the races under the sun into south Cyprus and we can't? get to grips with this reality, Turks are in Cyprus and they will NEVER EVER EVER EVER leave.

Guest - geejay
2009-11-07 19:24:08

Failing agreement on reunification terms then a two state solution is the only recourse for Turkish Cypriots. Although the UN and EC may still withhold recognition Plan B would bring many other benefits including "direct" trade and financial assistance. Over time, "creeping" recognition by other countries would happen since no alternative political solution would be possible. In this, the Turkish army is vital in ensuring continued security from the EOKA elements still prevailing in G/C society.

Guest - Dinos Plassaras
2009-11-07 17:30:23

This is a direct quote from the attached report: http://www.kktcb.eu/upload/pdf/8794.pdf "Given that this is almost certainly a last chance for reunification before partition options start kicking in, Turkey, as the far larger country, must show the Greek Cypriots a light at the end of the tunnel. There is little point in expecting either the UN or EU to force them into changing policy, as the far more intense but ultimately unavailing pressures of 2004 clearly showed. Through convincing, high-profile declarations, unilateral gestures or meetings with their media, Ankara should seek to persuade Greek Cypriots that Turkey is determined to implement any agreement on troop withdrawal, that normalisation would be peaceful and mutually beneficial and that Turkey foresees workable compromises on guarantees, security and implementation. Greek Cypriot leaders might then begin to believe they will have something with which to help sell the deal to their community in a referendum."

Guest - Constantinos
2009-11-07 16:34:20

Dear friends, Did anybody mention to the people that by having two states solution it means that the majority has to give up their homes and most of the land will return to legal owners? Federation is a comprimised solution in which Greek Cypriots have to give up some rights from their legitimate administration and share it with Turkish Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in return should give back some of the land and a number of properties that are now illegally occupied.

Guest - hpg
2009-11-07 12:43:30

I wonder whether "Uri D" is, as the name suggests, an Israeli or in fact a Greek racist. Anyway, such people always work with extremely selective perception of history. From a German viewpoint it is interesting that our Greek-Cypriote friends all want to start what they call their peaceful solution with a mass expulsion of so-called "settlers". This was consistent over years of observation. --- It is either impossible or extremely difficult to live in peace with people of such a mindset. I have no doubt left that Turkish Cypriots need military protection, whatever the solution may be. hpg

Guest - Uri D.
2009-11-07 11:37:03

Why Turkey is allowed to colonize and steal Cyprus? It is time to evacuate Turks to Turkey and leave Cyprus to its original people.

Guest - Enturk
2009-11-07 10:47:34

I'm OVERWHELMED with joy & ecstacy at the results of such a poll & the final realization of the TURKISH CYPRIOTS that they are much, much better off in their own state as they have been for 35 years. Yasasin Kuzey Kibris Turk Cumhuriyeti - Long Live the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus!!!

Guest - hunni
2009-11-07 08:36:21

@imitri. we the citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus do not need greek or greek cypriots to tell us who is a turkish cypriot.The greek occupied side of cyprus is NOT the the ruler of the TRNC and the turkish soldiers are in the TRNC to stop the greek from killing us as they did before 1974 and to keep the peace. Dont forget we voted YES to re unificatin the greek side voted NO.

Guest - Musa
2009-11-07 01:13:56

Apparently the Turkish Cypriots have come to realize that their Greek neighbors to the south do not exactly want to have a fair and lasting peace. Evidence of this was the overwhelming No vote in the south for the Annan plan. They are finally waking up to face the music, the Greeks to the south will never bend or negotiate from a position that deviates from their desire to dominate the whole island and by extention all the Turkish inhabitants living there.

Guest - ali
2009-11-06 21:11:23

Dimitri, please do not blame neither Hurriyet nor the pole results. Those people faced with the dreadful reality that their neigbours voted "NO" in 2004. What their neigbours want more, do you think they are right, please remember, the English did not leave that island, which is stolen from Ottomans, only to the Ellen Cypriuts who wanted the annexation with Greece in every opportunity, without any effort as it was in some other aegean islands (e.g., Crete). Why Samson came to island, and how many days later Turkey intervened the island, four days after the Samson's arrival, remember Samson's discourse, and no other guaranteur countries did do nothing, had Turkey not intervened, Cyprus would have been annexed to Greece. Please read history, just dates, not any comments. The intervention of Turkey, also brought an indirect end to the military regime in Greece, which was reigning since 1967, resigned after this event in Greece, because Samson was their shame, but not my whole Ellen neigbours' shame. Turks just wanted to establish the statusquo before 1974, but some did not want it. Now they are in EU, and they feel, they are more powerful. What they want now my friend, let us talk about it. Do you think Turkish cypriuts have some rights to live like their "contemporary and civilised" neighbours. Removing the Turkish soldiers and new settlers is very easy from the island, this is not the case, but who will protect them later? what is their guarantee?

Guest - Erden
2009-11-06 20:45:09

Why would we want to join with an ex partner that does not even recognize our equality rights stemming not only from the 1960 constitution but from history! what makes you think you are any better than us? Why wont you accept us to be equal and share power, then there would be peace.

Guest - Kiran
2009-11-06 19:36:20

If we count the 200,000 Turkish Cypriots living in economic exile, and swap them out for the "settler", the poll result would be 85%+. Two states is the only secure option.

Guest - Nicos Protopapas
2009-11-06 19:35:22

The Turkish cypriot ownership of land in Cyprus is about 16% and the turkish army invaded and occupies now 37% of land,brought in settlers in numbers grater than the number of Turkish cyprus.

Guest - dimitri
2009-11-06 17:47:58

Turkish Cypriots? does this include the settlers from Turkey?and the Turkish troops?and how many were involved in the poll?come on Hurriyet a bit more information is needed.

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