by Kifeas » Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:14 pm
Viewpoint,
I have asked to you tell me some moves by the GC side which would have helped improve the trust of the ordinary TCs towards the GCs. You came up with a list of items (issues) that have nothing to do with trust, at least in relation to the ordinary TC, but only in relation to the political aspirations of their leadership and TC elite.
If you had come up with some suggestions such as the following:
Make more use of the Turkish language in the official documentation, public buildings, etc. Translate all the legislation and publish the official gazette in Turkish too. Begin hiring more TCs in the civil service, especially in areas relating to TC affairs but also in other places, even in diplomatic missions abroad. Adopt a national anthem other than that of Greece, one that will incorporate the multicultural aspect of Cyprus. Reduce the number of Greek flags flying around and enhance the appearance of the Cypriot flags. Increase the number of hours of TV and radio broadcasting and hire more TCs in the public radio/TV. Improve the Green line regulation and give incentives to GC businessmen and companies to co-operate more with TCs counterparts. Give incentives to other types of business in other sectors of the economy, in order to hire more TCs, such as banks, media, telecommunications, tourism, etc. Introduce the teaching of the Turkish language in all public schools and even hire TC teachers and professors. Give some financial aid to poor TC families, especially in relation to their education and health needs and offer some scholarships for studies abroad. Encourage more co-operations of professional bodies with more meetings and seminars in order for an exchange of knowledge and experiences to occur. Go as far as to hire some TCs in the judicial system of the republic, etc.
If you had come with all or some of the above, I would say “YES” I agree with you 101%. And I would say it is a shame the RoC doesn’t do more or even all of them, irrespective of any additional financial burden that these measures might have on the budget.
All these would have helped the ordinary TCs to view the GC community as people who view them as their true compatriots, who have all the good intentions towards them, who value their input as a community and as individuals and who are trying to treat and regard them as their citizens to the, as much as possible, same extend as themselves, etc.
Instead, you came up with the direct trade issue, which in the way you want it to be implemented will equate with an indirect recognition of the “TRNC,” which in it’s turn and you should have known this, is an issue affecting the very foundation of the GC side’s political thesis. You are asking us something, which for 31 years we were fighting not to let it happen and the fact that it did not happen is the only reason that kept the Turkish and TC leadership on the negotiating table for so long.
