Cyprus-Forum.com

[The Cypriot]

LETTER TO TRIBUNE

Dear editor

If Tribune is serious about helping to overcome "Cyprus' long division and barriers to unity" (Murray Rowlands, 10 May 2009) it would be of enormous benefit if you didn't allow your journalists to produce sloppy, simplistic and inaccurate articles on the admittedly complex Cyprus issue; articles which serve only to muddy the waters and perpetuate the stalemate.

The occupants of properties in the north part of Cyprus who fled Turkey's army in 1974 were not necessarily "Greek". They were, in the main, Cypriot citizens consisting also of Maronites, Latins and Armenians, as well as British, American and other nationals. They were all human beings, all terrified of what the army would do to them. Rape, torture and murder of innocent civilians was a policy utilised to devastating effect by an army under orders to ethnically-cleanse the north of its Christian population.

Referring to "North Cyprus" with capital letters is misleading as it suggests that it is a legitimate political entity. No country, other than Turkey itself, recognises a territory which the legitimate government of the Republic of Cyprus cannot effectively administer because of Turkey's continued military intervention, and in which European law has had to be suspended.

Referring to the free part of Cyprus as the "Greek" side and the area still controlled by Turkey's military as the "Turkish" side is also misleading. The world recognises no sides in Cyprus. The island as a whole acceded to the EU in 2004. Perpetuating this "Greek"/"Turk" enmity and divide between the island's Christian and Muslim population – when historically, prior to Britain's disastrous divide-and-rule policies of the 1950's, religious differences were never really an issue – plays directly into the hands of self-interested partitionists, on and off the island.

Enough divide-and-rule, Britain. Please!

The innate hostility between the island's two main communities is apparent and exists to this day largely because of the role Turkey's military continues to play, artificially keeping the Cypriot people apart. Remove the military and, in an EU context and with EU laws applying throughout, you effectively remove the Cyprus problem.

An agreement between President Dimitris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat seems a long way off only because Turkey's military will simply not allow the leader of its subordinate regime in the north to negotiate in good faith enabling a solution BY Cypriots FOR Cypriots (a phrase recently coined by Gordon Brown which has won international currency). Turkey's military has its own perceived geo-strategic interests on Cyprus that tie Mr Talat's hands.

The article ends where it should have started, reporting that Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "making serious conciliatory overtures" in search of an end to the impasse. This would be a monumental news story for Cyprus and, if true, should have been expanded on. The reality is there is still nothing new emanating from Turkey, just as there is still nothing new emanating from left-leaning publications like Tribune, which should know better.

[Sotos]

THE Turkish federal state of North Cyprus is a fairly new country

That is news indeed! When did this happen? Last second? First time I hear about such country.

[insan]

Actually, trying to counter and balance the common, national geo-strategic plans of Greek-GC duo pushes Talat closer to Turkey.

As for the "divide and rule". It is the ultimate Greek-GC political stance towards TCs and Turks but since they couldn't manage to divide TC community; they couldn't manage to rule TC community either.

[YFred]

It just goes to show how things are changing in TCs favour.

[Kifeas]

This just brought to my attention.... this by a left wing publication in Britain...

http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/0 ... -to-unity/

THE Turkish federal state of North Cyprus is a fairly new country, but it looks like one from an earlier time. Whereas the rest of Cyprus has been buoyed by prosperity based on tourism and a huge investment in real estate from Russian sources, North Cyprus has areas of dereliction and decay around properties left by their Greek occupants when they fled from the Turkish troops who invaded the island in 1974.

If you look closely in the south, you can see Turkish houses that are suffering the same fate, yet around them are villas selling for millions of euros.

This prosperity could make it more difficult to reconcile the innate hostility between the two communities, which is much more apparent on the Greek side than on the Turkish. In the south, division has resulted in corruption and control by vested interests, which would have little to gain from unification.

The first move of the Ankara government in 1974 was to bring in immigrants from Anatolia to replace those who left the country abruptly at the time of the Turkish invasion. What happens to these people is one of the stumbling blocks to discussion about reunification. The Greeks want the immigrants repatriated to Turkey. After 35 years, this is hardly reasonable. But this unrealistic demand was one of the reasons why Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected then United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan’s proposals for unification in 2004.

Greek refugees from the north of the island continue to agitate about the way in which those running North Cyprus allow the wealth of archaeological sites into be ravaged while some of the most fertile areas remain uncultivated.

The fact that Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have been talking seriously to each other under the auspices of the UN is not necessarily a reason for unbridled optimism. Their dialogue may achieve some limited goals, such as the opening of the Limnitis Gate between the north and south of the island, but any agreement still seems some way off.

Having joined the European Union in 2004, Greek Cypriots have an ultimate veto over Turkish membership. And Turkey joining the EU is something that many believe would promote the unification of Cyprus.

Any way forward must involve the departure of the Turkish army from the island. Demands for Turkish troops to leave have been backed by a number of UN resolutions. However, if there is a withdrawal, the Turks will feel vulnerable to extremist elements among the Greek population. If there is demilitarisation on both sides, the Greeks are likely to feel at the mercy of the Turks who are their very near neighbours.

There are other factors adding to the problematic nature of the situation. If Turkey became a EU member, it would be difficult to call on other members to come to the aid of one element of the population of a fellow EU country. And strengthening the central government on Cyprus would involve the Greeks giving up some of the power they enjoy as the majority population.

Belatedly, the government of Turkey, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is making serious conciliatory overtures in search of an end to the impasse. The ball is now in the Greeks’ court.

What a pile of rubbish!!! Has the author of this ridiculously incoherent article been paid for his "work?"

[denizaksulu]

This is a factually in-concise article and as such is just another propaganda attempt by the occupied lands to force an acceptance of an unnecessary demand ...

All Turks out of Cyprus ... no more/no less!

Well, I've packed my bags, ready to go.

Where ... from Turnpike Lane to Wood Green ... get lost fake ....

We are as genuine as they come O.

[Oracle]

Are there new owners for the Tribune?

Tag: Tribune
Appeal for the future of Tribune
Tribune Thu Oct 09, 2008 at 01:17:48 PM GMT Facebook

Tribune is looking for a new owner following a decision by its trade union consortium that there will be no further investment in the magazine. Expressions of interest from potential purchasers of the title are being sought in the hope that a takeover can be affected without an interruption in publication. The editor is also launching an appeal to test potential support for a co-operative based on individual contributors.

NEW POLL Should Labourhome- takeover struggling Tribune ?
john frost Sat Sep 27, 2008 at 09:24:15 AM GMT Facebook

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Murray Rowlands stood as a Labour candidate (few votes):

This is the html version of the file http://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/NR/rdonly ... ay2003.pdf.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 3
WardCandidatesDescriptionVotes CastResultGeorge Brian AngusResidents Associations of Epsom and Ewell787ElectedMichael Newstead ArthurResidents Associations of Epsom and Ewell780ElectedPamela BradleyResidents Associations of Epsom and Ewell764ElectedDaniel Alexander ElkelesLiberal Democrat163Anthony LanganThe Labour Party Candidate121Murray RowlandsThe Labour Party Candidate164Noreen SullivanThe Conservative Party Candidate205Ewell

He supports Turkey's EU bid ...

Further west, as Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy succumb to increasing anti-Turkish prejudice, the UK must continue to support Turkish entry into the EU. The challenge is to resolve the conflict between Europe’s view of Turkey and the Turks’ view of Europe.

Murray Rowlands

http://www.progressonline.org.uk/magazi ... asp?a=2562

[miltiades]

Belatedly, the government of Turkey, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is making serious conciliatory overtures in search of an end to the impasse. The ball is now in the Greeks’ court.

Not surprisingly, he stopped dead in his tracks from telling us what these Turkish “conciliatory overtures” are…

Junk article...

Lets find out by asking this journalist what are the serious conciliatory overtures !!!
Perhaps some one on the forum knows .

[The Cypriot]

Belatedly, the government of Turkey, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is making serious conciliatory overtures in search of an end to the impasse. The ball is now in the Greeks’ court.

Not surprisingly, he stopped dead in his tracks from telling us what these Turkish “conciliatory overtures” are…

Junk article...

Lets find out by asking this journalist what are the serious conciliatory overtures !!!
Perhaps some one on the forum knows .

Not sure this constitutes 'serious conciliatory overtures' but according to my sources...

Erdogan, Gul and the new Foreign Minister Davutoglu have all repeated in the past month the same message of support for a solution based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation (this stems from British and American pressure). Ankara continues to freeze out Denktash and has changed Eroglu overnight – who now speaks not of confederation but of a more 'ambiguous' two-state (ie. two-zones, two-component states) solution.

'Ambiguity' is needed to slowly bring people round to a 'reunification mind frame'. Eroglu's and Turkey's continued support is necessary to win a YES vote in the north as current opinion polls suggest a more likely NO vote this time. Turkey (or the government at least) is moving in the right direction and seems ready to accept a solution.

[YFred]

Belatedly, the government of Turkey, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is making serious conciliatory overtures in search of an end to the impasse. The ball is now in the Greeks’ court.

Not surprisingly, he stopped dead in his tracks from telling us what these Turkish “conciliatory overtures” are…

Junk article...

Lets find out by asking this journalist what are the serious conciliatory overtures !!!
Perhaps some one on the forum knows .

Not sure this constitutes 'serious conciliatory overtures' but according to my sources...

Erdogan, Gul and the new Foreign Minister Davutoglu have all repeated in the past month the same message of support for a solution based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation (this stems from British and American pressure). Ankara continues to freeze out Denktash and has changed Eroglu overnight – who now speaks not of confederation but of a more 'ambiguous' two-state (ie. two-zones, two-component states) solution.

'Ambiguity' is needed to slowly bring people round to a 'reunification mind frame'. Eroglu's and Turkey's continued support is necessary to win a YES vote in the north as current opinion polls suggest a more likely NO vote this time. Turkey (or the government at least) is moving in the right direction and seems ready to accept a solution.

TCs voted yes in the last vote before the last elections, but they were let down by the EU and no longer trust them never mind RoC. I suspect whatever Turkey says or does, they will vote no next time and Turkey will just have to continue to pick up the bill for stupidities of the past.