Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nickp]

Who runs Northern Cyprus? Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots?

I’m a British born Greek Cypriot and am curious to hear the opinions of Turkish Cypriots about the above question to broaden my horizons.

The reason I ask the question is that I’ve always had the impression that Turkey is in charge of North Cyprus and if it were the Turkish Cypriots, things may be different.

I get the impression Turkey is in charge because obviously the Turkish troops, the financial aid to run the north, as well as populating it with it’s mainland settlers. Furthermore, the north uses the Turkish currency and divides itself along ethnic lines by being the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and they have a similar flag to the Turkish Republic.

The south however has continued their representation as the Republic of Cyprus despite not having Turkish Cypriot representation. In other words, they haven’t cut off along ethnic lines by being the Greek Republic of South Cyprus. Furthermore, the flag they used to represent the island nation since 1960 is a flag that was designed by a Greek and Turkish Cypriot. Also, the national currency is represented in Greek as well as Turkish.

Finally, the Greek Cypriot administration is very independent from Greece. I’m sure Greece assists Cyprus militarily and they follow their lead on foreign policy but I think south Cyprus is very much independent from Greece unlike the north from Turkey.

For example, if South Cyprus did something that Greece really did not like, there’s not much they can do as it’s none of their business. However, if the Turkish Cypriots wanted to do something as dramatic as reopen Varosha without getting anything in return apart from improving relations, would Turkey allow it?

The reason I ask is that it appears to me that’s it’s always been the Greek Cypriot’s vs. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots have always been out of the equation. In other words, if the Turkish Cypriots were in charge would things be different or is it just a basic case of the communities having two different ideologies for a solution?
.
I believe Turkey came to Cyprus primarily for it’s own interests rather than just mainly to protect the Turkish Cypriots. Furthermore, since growing up in the Greek Cypriot community in Cyprus and England, all the anger seems to be channelled towards Turkey and the Turkish army. At the same time, Greek Cypriots in England seem to be very positive about Turkish Cypriots in terms that they see them as country men as we do have a lot of similarities.

Furthermore, Mr Rauf Denktash has been representing the Turkish Cypriot community since the whole problem started. I admire him for wanting to defend the rights of his people but at the same time I think his stubbornness and insensitivities to certain injustices has let his character down.


I mean have Turkey kept him there to protect their position? I mean there have been several different Greek Cypriot leaders over the thirty years in the negotiating room. Where as on the Turkish side it has always been Denktash. Even with the recent Annan plan where the Turkish Cypriots voted yes, he still opposed it. Even though the GC’s said no, I felt we were getting closer to a solution and if Deanktash had the overall say we would be decades away.

If there were different Turkish Cypriot leaders over the 30 year period do you think things would be any different? Or is it just a plane case that Turkey is in charge of the north and they will decide what an acceptable solution is?

Your thoughts on this would be very much appreciated.

[PEACE]

Of course Turkey is sovereign here.TRNC is the curtain to hide this.

Finally, the Greek Cypriot administration is very independent from Greece. I’m sure Greece assists Cyprus militarily and they follow their lead on foreign policy but I think south Cyprus is very much independent from Greece unlike the north from Turkey.

Are you sure?
There are 6.000 soldiers from Greece and i suppose this soldiers are appointed to high degree administration of army.

May be the effect is so less than Turkey's effect on us.

[Nickp]

I think i've read, it's something like 10,000 national guard, and 6,000 mainland Greek troops. But yes, your probably right alot of main Greek officers will probably have high ranking positions.

I would like to possibly move back to Cyprus one day, if i got married there for sure. However, if i did at the present time, i'm require to do 6 months conscription which i think is ridicoulous. Most of the young generation hate doing conscription, there just not interested.

[brother]

Ditto...same in the north