Cyprus-Forum.com

[Tim Drayton]

If TCs start moving to the south, assuming they can clarify their property dealings and be fully "legal" in the south, would place interesting stresses on the system in both sides.

A mixed GC-TC south would be pitted against a Turkish occupied north and no one would be able to claim that the occupation is any sort of "peace operation". If enough TCs move south then they conceivably could seek elected office as per the 1960 constitution, and how would it look if a TC vice president of the ROC makes statements in an international venue, like the UN, demanding removal of Turkish troops?

Sounds like a peculiar mixup, but nothing would surprise me in the Cyprus issue.

Meeting two Turkish Cypriot youths who had grown up from childhood in the unoccupied areas and were clearly loyal citizens of the RoC also provided me with food for thought. There can't be many people who fit into this category (yet), but this certainly adds a new dimension to the Cyprus problem. I also wonder what the deal is with military service for such people.

[zan]

If TCs start moving to the south, assuming they can clarify their property dealings and be fully "legal" in the south, would place interesting stresses on the system in both sides.

A mixed GC-TC south would be pitted against a Turkish occupied north and no one would be able to claim that the occupation is any sort of "peace operation". If enough TCs move south then they conceivably could seek elected office as per the 1960 constitution, and how would it look if a TC vice president of the ROC makes statements in an international venue, like the UN, demanding removal of Turkish troops?

Sounds like a peculiar mixup, but nothing would surprise me in the Cyprus issue.

Meeting two Turkish Cypriot youths who had grown up from childhood in the unoccupied areas and were clearly loyal citizens of the RoC also provided me with food for thought. There can't be many people who fit into this category (yet), but this certainly adds a new dimension to the Cyprus problem. I also wonder what the deal is with military service for such people.

In the population exchanges between Greece and Turkey a lot of Greek Muslims were sent out of Turkey to Cyprus. My father remembers many Greek Muslims who came to live in his village because they had nothing in common with the Greeks and felt at home with the TCs. One swallow does not a summer make!!!!!

[roseandchan]

only the people who do their homework have purchased turkish title.
its more expensive.
not so well located.
they can't live in a brit enclave, so to speak, will have to live with the locals.
i meet loads of people who ask about buying here. you can only try and tell them. most still go on to make the mistakes.
i have had people say things to me like. it must be terrible being the only brit in the village! what you don't have a sea view? your house must have been cheap because its up the mountian! i don't care if it was gc land, i'll be dead and burried before they get it back anyway. my land was swapped with a gc in the south.
these are the sort of people who don't think any farther than today and what a good deal they are getting. only a minority did actually get conned.

[Tim Drayton]

One swallow does not a summer make!!!!!

I hear what you are saying, but I asked these two guys how many TCs were now living in Limassol and their answer was "çooooooook" rather than "çok", in the way that spoken Turkish permits you to emphasise the word for "a lot". A Turkish Cypriot teacher now travels from the north to give Turkish lessons to the Turkish Cypriot children attending the public school in Agios Antonis, Limassol. Indeed one swallow does not a summer make, but we are living in 2008 and not 1963 and things are changing.

[zan]

One swallow does not a summer make!!!!!

I hear what you are saying, but I asked these two guys how many TCs were now living in Limassol and their answer was "çooooooook" rather than "çok", in the way that spoken Turkish permits you to emphasise the word for "a lot". A Turkish Cypriot teacher now travels from the north to give Turkish lessons to the Turkish Cypriot children attending the public school in Agios Antonis, Limassol. Indeed one swallow does not a summer make, but we are living in 2008 and not 1963 and things are changing.

Tim

These small cases are working for both sides and that is why they are tolerated. the moment that this changes then the host country will no longer be viable. Limited numbers make a point although I accept that some, who lived in mainly Greek villages feel more at home with them like the example I gave you. Lets see the big picture here!!!
Sorry...Really have to go now!!!

[roseandchan]

even some of the school english books here my friends kids have, have incorrect spelling. makes me question my own judgement even on basic words. as for chok (sorry turkish keyboard not plugged in today) tc's seem to used it a lot more than turkish mainlanders for some reason. to me tc turkish is like a shortened version of mainand turkish. lot of things get missed out like good afternoon for instance. when i listen to tc turkish i can understand much of it now. but turkish mainland friends i find hard to understand.

[Tim Drayton]

A thought for Zan:

If the TCs do not grasp the thorn and secure a deal now that grants them political equality, is there not a danger of a gradual migration southwards that will leave TCs by default in the position of a minority?

[Nikitas]

"I also wonder what the deal is with military service for such people."

TCs are exempt from military service in the national guard of the RoC.

[Nikitas]

Tim and Roseandchan,

Just reading your posts about the land issue one gets a picture of a free for all.

By contrast the situation in the south is crystal clear, the original owner is still the owner no matter who has possession. The trustee of TC properties is an institution which works for that purpose. Land expropriated for public works receives compensation which is equally bad for GCs and TCs. All other land is reclamable if the TC owner can prove that he was resident overseas before 1974 or that he has resided in the RoC six months before repossession.