Cyprus-Forum.com

[humanist]

well that is a secretive debate with Talat and his administration. I guess with every administration there is always leaked information so the current figures that I have been given is 55,000. My understanding the pre 1974 figures stood at 180,000.

[Nikitas]

The last pre 1974 census of Cyprus in which both communities were recorded showed a TC population of 118 000.

The latest figures given for the present numbers of TCs are unofficial but from TC sources such as Unions, political parties and others. The figures given by the teachers' union show that only a third of the pupils in TC schools have both parents TCs. The same sources put the population of TCs at 55000. Considering that if the seasonal workers and their famlies are included in the count, the population in the north reaches 500 000 then the TCs are 1/10 of that total.

It is obvious that whichever way the situation is looked at the TCs are victims of Turkey's policy on Cyprus.

[humanist]

may be part of Turkey dealing with the Cyprus issue or rather the Tuskish speaking Cypriot issue to allow a natural death and therefore will have no reason to be there in 50 years. Which is a long time to wait for EU membership, because I seriously do not belive that the EU will give up 1/3 of its Cyprus territory to Turkey. At the end of the day it will mean that the EU has Turkey across a line. It will somehow want Turkey at least on the other side of the mediteranian. a peasants point of view but a point of view none the less

[Cem]

The last pre 1974 census of Cyprus in which both communities were recorded showed a TC population of 118 000.

The latest figures given for the present numbers of TCs are unofficial but from TC sources such as Unions, political parties and others. The figures given by the teachers' union show that only a third of the pupils in TC schools have both parents TCs. The same sources put the population of TCs at 55000. Considering that if the seasonal workers and their famlies are included in the count, the population in the north reaches 500 000 then the TCs are 1/10 of that total.

It is obvious that whichever way the situation is looked at the TCs are victims of Turkey's policy on Cyprus.

Which is the reason why, while in the foreground comrade Christiophias and Talat seem to be conducting the talks, in the background it is the E.U and Turkey and even, my educated guess- that it is the E.U-USA (and Israel) which are doing the real negotiations.

[Nikitas]

Cem,

If you start counting who is in the backgroung you will lose count! Everyone is in there meddling.

Dont you ever wonder what would happen if regular people got angry and pissed off at all this secret diplomacy and took a stick and really vented their anger?

It is inane in an island 60 miles by 120 to have secret talks and the newspapers to play the game with "leaked" information. This is bullshit and we are falling for it. Since we know that sooner or later the information will be leaked why not have an open and public negotiation, televise it even, so we all see how our representatives are behaving and acting on our behalf. The openness will neutralise the foreign interference.

[Cem]

Cem,

If you start counting who is in the backgroung you will lose count! Everyone is in there meddling.

Dont you ever wonder what would happen if regular people got angry and pissed off at all this secret diplomacy and took a stick and really vented their anger?

It is inane in an island 60 miles by 120 to have secret talks and the newspapers to play the game with "leaked" information. This is bullshit and we are falling for it. Since we know that sooner or later the information will be leaked why not have an open and public negotiation, televise it even, so we all see how our representatives are behaving and acting on our behalf. The openness will neutralise the foreign interference.

Nikitas, you took the words from my mouth !
As you stated, if the information is only allowed to leak out like someone's pissing in driplets, then people like me would be justly be asking:" what is going on behind the scenes?". I have been constantly stressing this "background diplomacy" in my earlier posts...but not in "flattering" way..You are 100% right, why to keep the talks as secret and apply "censorship" always beats me..
So far, all I have heard is that technical committees made progress on "sensitive" issues such as cooperation in environmental protection, preservation of historical sites, bla, bla...whereby avoiding the real issues such as "property rights", "political partnership", "guarantor-ship" and "territorial adjustment"..which are vital for the progress of the talks.

[CopperLine]

Cem, Nikitas, agreed. The 'secret' 'spin' diplomacy is absurd for apart from anything else it does not insure a settlement from any number of veto interests.

[BirKibrisli]

To cut to the chase: I met a relative recently in Sydney who is a primary school teacher in the trnc...I asked her one simple question,"What percentage of the kids in your class are Turkish (settlers' kids) and what percentage TC kids??? Her answer: 75% settlers kids...Given that she teaches in Morphou (Guzelyurt),and given that the radio would be higher in Nicosia,I'd say it is Game Set and Match for the end of TC culture in Cyprus within 25 years,unless a solution is found now which will unite the island,and remove most of the settlers...

[Nikitas]

Bir, WELCOME BACK! Missed you!

NOW is the operative word and hopefully our two elected leaders will not get bogged down in bullshit this time.

Cem and Copperline,

Oftentimes I wonder if we do not imitate the decorative elements of power, things like press leaks etc, invented by other nations. In the US where the nation has the size of a continet such things might be useful. In Cyprus where you can shout in the capital and be heard in Limassol this is nonsense.

To put it in the words of a TC friend from Kouklia (Famagusta one, not Paphos) when I asked him what village life was like: "Look, it is like this, you start making love to your wife, and before you are done, the people at the coffee shop are discussing the position". In this climate we are talking secret diplomacy!

[ttoli]

To cut to the chase: I met a relative recently in Sydney who is a primary school teacher in the trnc...I asked her one simple question,"What percentage of the kids in your class are Turkish (settlers' kids) and what percentage TC kids??? Her answer: 75% settlers kids...Given that she teaches in Morphou (Guzelyurt),and given that the radio would be higher in Nicosia,I'd say it is Game Set and Match for the end of TC culture in Cyprus within 25 years,unless a solution is found now which will unite the island,and remove most of the settlers...

Most TC Children attend Private schools or Universities, so those figures are not a true reflection.