Please state if you're GC, TC, mainland Turk (settler) or else and then comment the 10 ideas below. I would like to see how different people with different backgrounds look at things. I also want to see how you react to something that would cause a possible loss for you in one way or another.
1. The Turkish army will leave the island. Period! Cyprus should have one common army (National Guard) with Cypriot citizens. The EU and UN (and NATO in case Cyprus join someday) should stand behind Cyprus if a foreign military force is threatening the island in a way the National Guard can't handle themselves.
2. The people of Cyprus is best served by a united Cyprus with both GC's and TC's in the government. Like in any other good democracy those applying for and being granted full citizenship must be allowed to vote and become politically involved if they wish to. Even "new Cypriots" must be allowed to take part in making Cyprus better and a country to count with on the European market and political scene.
3. GC and TC communities should get a proportional vote on issues affecting the whole of Cyprus and/or the GC community.
4. There should be an equal vote on issues affecting the TC community. A couple of generations later this may not be necessary if people try to take off their GC/TC hats and put on their "Team Cyprus baseball cap" instead. I may be naive and hopelessly wishing for things that will never happen. But I certainly hope one day that people will vote in the interest of Cyprus and Cypriots rather than the interest of communities, enclaves, religion or ethnicity. This is essential for any democracy to prosper and be competitive on the international scene. A country must stand united, not divided. Cyprus first, then EU, then the world... sort of.
5. Everybody who believe in a united and equal Cyprus should strive to create political parties that are unbiased. Eg a Cypriot party with both TC's and GC's working for Cyprus rather than Turkish/Greek interests. This won't happen overnight... but it's worth fighting for.
6. Someday it's possible (it's not impossible anyway) that people will not vote on ethnic grounds, but rather on the values of a politician/party and what they stand for. In the beginning it's most likely that TC's and GC's will live side by side but still separated... pretty much like in Pyla. In the future people's old mistrust will hopefully be gone and with trust comes mixing one way or another. And that's when I hope that people will vote on the best party/politician based on sound human values rather than ethnicity and ulterior motives. A Cypriot party for Cypriots having good ties to the rest of Europe should be the given winner if there is an election during these circumstances.
7. There can and should be both TC's and GC's running for presidency. Believe it or not, but one day there may be a TC president elected by both GC and TC simply because he's the better man to do the job. And who knows? (Even further down the line you may have a "British Cypriot" asking you to vote for him.) For some kind of (perceived?) balance when GC is elected president the vice president should be a TC and vice versa. This balance act is most likely needed for a limited time, but for how long is impossible to tell. People must start to trust each other completely first and I believe it'll take a generation or two for that to happen.
8. Settlers has to be handled somehow. Turks born on Cyprus after the illegal invasion in 1974 should be considered Cypriots and offered full citizenship. If they are young enough to still live with their parents the parents also stay... we don't want to break up families now do we? Parents of these Cypriot children get full citizenship if they've been living on the island for a minimum of 25 years. If not they should be granted a residence permit. Any turk who has married a (Greek or Turk) Cypriot should be allowed to stay and offered full citizenship. Most of those who lived on the island for a minimum of 25 years should be allowed a permit or possibly even a citizenship depending on the circumstances (each case has to be reviewed and decision must be fair and unbiased). I think it's wise to be fair towards people with no criminal records and if they have been working/paying taxes for most of their stay on the island. Such people are an asset to any country. Everybody else can apply for a residence permit. Most of them will be declined of course, especially those who are criminals. Those who have been unemployed for a long time and have no fortune to live off must leave. Whether you like it or not some Turkish soldiers will fall into a category that would be allowed to stay in one form or another. And if/when Turkey become a member of the EU (God forbid) any Turk that was rejected from Cyprus should be treated like any other EU citizen if they choose to return for some reason.
9. Stolen property.... obviously a big problem... so many players involved... not to mention an awful lot of money. But... if you bought a house built on stolen land... tough luck! Once the rightful owner return to claim his property... off you go! Unless he/she is willing to make some arrangement with you of course. If you're lucky he is willing to sell the land to you, or allow you to live there for an annual fee. If not you must leave your house. If you are lucky the GC is happy to pay you for the house (but not the land itself since he already own it, remember?) because he/she think the house is an asset worth owning. If not you have the option to pay to have it demolished or simply give it to the GC as a little "thank you for allowing me to borrowing your land while you were living in exile". I think the safety of TC property in the south has been catered for and there will be less problems to solve as far as those goes. Some TC's will come back, some will sell. The stolen property on the north part of Cyprus is the big problem that HAS to be solved. And if favourable solutions for all parties involved can't be reached it has to be solved on the expense of everybody who knowingly or unknowingly bought, received or took stolen property. Sorry for those who bought in good faith, but that's the way it's got to be. People get ripped off all the time. The GC's who own property in the north have been ripped off for 34 years.
10. GC's, TC's and other people who choose to live permanently in Cyprus can work together for a better Cyprus. Step on the breaks as far as destructive property development goes. Be wise when it comes to building hotels etc in the north and buildings near beaches in general. Keep Cyprus the paradise on earth for tourists. But strive to make decent people the high priority guests. Families longing for some time in the sun. Anybody interested in historical sites etc. People interested in sports like diving, fishing, golfing, windsurfing, bicycling etc. People with culinary interests. People who like to party but still behave like humans instead of animals. In short... people who respect Cypriots, each other, Cyprus in general and keep themselves and their surroundings clean and tidy.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to share your opinions.
