Cyprus-Forum.com

[insan]

Today: February 19, 2005 at 15:03:41 PST

Elections Crucial for Reunification Cyprus
By ALEX EFTY
ASSOCIATED PRESS

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) -

Nearly 150,000 Turkish Cypriots and illegal mainland settlers vote Sunday in a parliamentary election for a government only recognized by Turkey but which is seen as a barometer of prospects for reunification of the war-divided island.

The contest is primarily between the outgoing prime minister, Mehmet Ali Talat of the Republican Turkish Party, and nationalist Dervis Eroglu of the National Unity Party. Talat supported a U.N. reunification plan for the divided island last year while Eroglu strongly opposed it.

But the election has international implications, particularly for Turkey and the European Union.

A sizable victory by Talat could be touted by Turkey as evidence that the Cyprus conflict, which has hindered its EU membership ambitions, is perpetuated by Greek Cypriots.

A strong showing by Eroglu's party could seen by Europeans leaders as a sign Turkey is not doing enough to encourage reconciliation.

Talat is strongly favored by the United States and the European Union after backing the U.N. plan in an April referendum. Supporters of reunification have struggled to regain momentum after the plan was overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriot voters.

Talat's chances of winning a clear majority Sunday were boosted after his talks in Brussels, Belgium, earlier this month with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and a visit to his breakaway state this week by a U.S. trade delegation.

Both gestures, rewards for accepting the U.N. plan, were designed to ease the isolation of the renegade state that was imposed because of the Turkish occupation.

Cyprus has been split into the Greek Cypriot-controlled south and the Turkish-occupied north since Turkey invaded in 1974 in the wake of an abortive coup by supporters of union with Greece. The state in the north is only recognized by Turkey, which maintains 40,000 troops there.

Talat's party has 18 seats while Eroglu's party has 20 seats in the outgoing 50-seat parliament.

Talat hopes to win a clear majority Sunday so he can form his own government, ending his current uneasy coalition with the Democratic Party of Serdar Denktash which is less willing to make concessions to reunify the island. The party holds five seats in the outgoing parliament.

Denktash is a staunch supporter of his father, Rauf, the veteran Turkish Cypriot leader and president of the breakaway state who rejects the U.N. plan. Rauf Denktash insists on full recognition of his state before reunification in the form of a loose bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.

Besides the three main parties, the election is also contested by four smaller ones. They have to receive a minimum of 5 percent of the total vote to qualify for seats in parliament.

In an interview on state television Saturday, President Tassos Papadopoulos said he regretted that the election would not reflect the true views of Turkish Cypriots since the majority of voters would be illegal Turkish mainland settlers introduced to the north in the wake of the invasion.

Cyprus was accepted as a EU member in May 2004. The Greek Cypriot government of Papadopoulos said the recognition represented the entire island, though EU laws and regulations do not apply to the occupied north.

Greek Cypriot leaders argue that the U.N. plan would solidify the island's division through its constitutional provisions and limits on the right of 200,000 Greek Cypriot refugees to return and regain their properties in the north, while letting more than 100,000 Turkish mainland settlers remain, together with a permanent presence of Turkish troops.

Papadopoulos insists a settlement must be based on EU laws and principles as well as U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for the return of refugees and the withdrawal of Turkish troops and settlers.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stori ... 04732.html

[Bananiot]

Talat said last night that the people that voted for his party are those that want a solution to our problem. I think that this is a true statement and this pragmatic leader of the TC's deserves a chance to take the reigns as the overall leader. I am referring to the forthcoming elections of April and hope that he is just as successful then.

What happens now? Will Talat go it alone or will he seek coalition with Serdar once again? I think, for practical reasons, he will probably need Serdar, in order to broaden his basis and keep Ankara happy too. What do you think? Is there any role for Akinci?

[Agios Amvrosios]

Those who want a solution would vote to allow all refugees to return to their homes.


Otherwise they're wasting their votes

[insan]

Talat said last night that the people that voted for his party are those that want a solution to our problem.

Bananiot,

All people of North want solution to Cyprus problem. However there are discrepancies among major political groups of TCs, concerning the solution of Cyprus problem.

It seems the most plausible and popular one is Talat's policies. Not only for %45 of the people of North but for Turkey, EU leadership, US and a part of GCs as well.

I think that this is a true statement and this pragmatic leader of the TC's deserves a chance to take the reigns as the overall leader. I am referring to the forthcoming elections of April and hope that he is just as successful then.

There's no doubt, he'll run for the presidential elections and win. In my humble opinion; Talat is the most capable and effective leader among the incapables and ineffectives, i.e; lesser of the evils...

What happens now? Will Talat go it alone or will he seek coalition with Serdar once again? I think, for practical reasons, he will probably need Serdar, in order to broaden his basis and keep Ankara happy too. What do you think? Is there any role for Akinci?

Social aspect of the issue is most dominant here. To keep the social balances he'll choose S Denktash. Otherwise, the semi-opposite S Denktash and completely opposite Eroglu's crew which constitute the other %45 of TC community will be pushed into a more agressive mood. Nevertheless, from all other points of view as well. 25+1 is not adequate for a stable parliament arithmetics. One leakage means end of the new government.

Moreover, in April, in order to run for the presidential elections; he'll have to resign from his parliamentary duty.


Thus; I don't think the Cyprus problem will ever be wrapped up to seperate special majority satisfaction, in this so much talks but lack of actions mood.

First of all, the economic isolation of TC community should be ended. There's no doubt, this will add a new powerful dynamics to the parameters of solution. Neither Talat nor Turkey have been succesful to convince Tassos and the international community apon this issue. To the contrary of this, Tassos and vast majority of GCs are strictly against even such a thing being talked. He and his supporters expect TC community and Turkey to recognize the RoC with its current form. While TCs ask something feasible and fair; end of the inhumane economic embargos, Tassos ask TCs to recognize RoC with its current form and self-proclaim of TCs minority status.


On the other hand, we talk about reconciliation however we do almost nothing for reconciliation. Please tell me will we ever be able to find a common ground upon history of Cyprus? Vast majority of Cypriots think that reconciliation on historical issues will come by itself after the solution. How did you come to a conclusion that it will come by itself after a solution? There's no rational arguments, unfortunately.


Can you imagine the social and political tensions, the disputes over the historical issues will create? Upon which historical issues Cypriots have a common ground? And upon which historical issues will the TCs agree, in the future? Let's discuss it. Tell us, what are the historical facts, myths and fictions?


We are all sitting targets, sitting and waiting; just anticipating.


Told You So

And do those feet in modern times
Walk upon the flowers and walk upon their brothers
While their heads are busy lying low
Try to keep to cover roll
Something we've blown along the way
Everybody's waiting for judgment day
So they can go told you so
They can go told you so

Bring me my gun of itching desire
Bring me my bullets and I will fire
Sight set hire than a torture spire
Something we've blown along the way
Everybody's waiting for judgment day


Standing in line
The blind lead the blind
Waiting and Waiting for an overdue sign
Brothers and sisters
Play Chinese whispers
If things are suited they won't get diluted

There's one more dead
With a hole in his head
He shouldn't have said
All the things he said
Many tears were shed
For the blood he bled
Something we've blown along the way
Everybody's waiting for judgment day




Shame

Do you ever get that feeling
When the guilt begins to hurt
Seeing all the children
Wallowing in dirt
Crying out with hunger
Crying out in pain
At least the dirt will wash off
When it starts to rain

Soap won't wash away your shame

Do you ever get that feeling
That something isn't right
Seeling your brother's fists
Clenched ready for the fight
Soon the fighting turns to weapons
And the weapons turn to wounds
So the doctors stitch and stitch
And stitch and stitch and stitch
And stitch and stitch

Surgery won't improve your pain

It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up
When it all seems so stupid

Do you ever get that feeling
That something can be done
To eradicate this problems
And make the people one
Do you ever get that feeling
Something like a nagging itch
And all the while the doctors
Stitch and stitch and stitch
And stitch and stitch

Hope alone won't remove the stains
Shame.



Everything Counts

The handshake seals the contract
From the contract there's no turning back
The turning point of a career
In Korea being insincere
The holiday was fun-packed
The contract still intact

The grabbing hands grab all they can
All for themselves - after all
The grabbing hands grab all they can
All for themselves - after all
It's a competitive world
Everything counts in large amounts

The graph on the wall
Tells the story of it all
Picture it now
See just how
The lies and deceit gained a little
More apower
Confidence - taken in
By a suntan and a grin

Everything counts in large amounts

[Bananiot]

Thanks for your reply insan and I much appreciate your poetic mood this Monday morning (tsangarodeftera, we call it. Monday was a rest day for shoe makers).

You say that all people in the north want a solution. Of course if you ask all people in the south they will tell you the same. Partition is a solution too and many people subscribe to it. Papadopoulos and Denktash have created many followers. I think, me and you understand each other about the solution we envisage. But, probably this is exactly what you mean too. I agree on the rest you wrote too but probably you are over reacting (Talat being a lesser evil). Do I detect frustration? I thought I had the prerogative.

I think also that the political aspects are more important at the moment. What about reconciliation? Of course it can happen only after a solution. Before the solution there can be no reconciliation, on a mass and permanent scale. You know that many Cypriots are not interested in reconciliation because conservation of animosity is part of their way to keep us apart, physically and mentally. This is plain paranoia but yet, we Cypriots are the paranoiacs of the universe. We are always certain that everyone is working against our interests. The whole world is scheming against us! Oh dear, we are the only African state in the European union … (I thought to match your poetic oestrous; probably I failed).

[Piratis]

While TCs ask something feasible and fair; end of the inhumane economic embargos

Making money from the properties you stole from us is not fair at all. What keeps you in isolation is Turkey and your illegal actions and demands that go against human rights, international law and numerous UN resolutions.

[insan]

Making money from the properties you stole from us is not fair at all.

A Denktash-Tassos hybrid, nerd personality:Piratis


Don't forget that a part of GC community making money from the properties stolen from TCs for almost 40 years. You idiot nerd!

[Piratis]

Its not enough that they stole from us, violate our human rights, disobey all UN resolutions, now they complain on top of that and swear at us.
Anyways, from such people we couldn't expect anything more civilized anyways.

[insan]

What you expecting from me while you continually insulting TCs as thieves? Do you expect me to bring you flowers?

[brother]

Now gents, lets not get of track, piratis learn to control that urge of yours to insult the tc as that is not civilised behaviour or you will get retorts rightly so.