Cyprus-Forum.com

[Hermes]

This makes me wonder what kind of solution are we really heading to? I mean if we take the settlers out, then the population of the Kibrislis is not such that would justify a BBF with all those provisions for political equality and stuff. We are talking for only 8-10% of the total population here!! If we account for the settlers too, then we are actually heading to a solution with people who are not even Cypriots...

The Turks are desperately creating more "citizens" because they know the population numbers don't add up. Eroglu doesn't even accept the provisions in the Annan Plan for 50,000 settlers to remain. He wants all settlers to stay on after a solution, presumably because the Turks know that they don't have the population to justify their part of a federal state. Just look at Jerry's pictures: the north is deserted. It's my experience of the north too. Everywhere is dying and desolate.

If there is a solution, I can't see the settlers hanging around. They have no connection to the north, no commitment to a united Cyprus, they likely won't find work and will bugger off to Turkey or more likely, as European citizens, go abroad. Once Turkey pulls out of the north, the economy there will collapse. This is one more reason why the Turks don't want a solution. They just want to hang on to the north and have the place die rather than give it back to its rightful owners. This is how stupid and pointless the occupation has become.

[Nikitas]

What you are all describing of the north reminds me vividly of the impression I had from my one and only visit to Turkey in 1973. The ship had stopped in Kusadasi and the town had that eastern, depressed atmosphere. It was similara to the mood I had experienced in visiting some towns in Egypt that had fallen from their former status.

The TCs are not dumb, they too must be able to see what we see. If they accepted a territorial area proportional to their population they would be able to manage it better and it would also be less able to accomodate hordes of Anatolians. But they are caught up in the magalomaniac dreams of Erdo and Davut and are playing along.

As for the TC areas north of Famagusta. It is ironic that those areas were flourishing pre 1974. Although GCs could not enter old Famagusta within the walls, we could shop in the TC shops around the old city and they were some of the newest and best kept in Famagusta. Now it all looks like 1973 Kusadasi.

Just remember that Erdo, in July had gloated that the GC economy is on the verge of collapse. Knowing the stark contrast between north and south it is obvious one of two things is happening: Erdo knows the truth and is lying to the TCs, or he actually believes his crap which reinforces the growing opinion that he is schizoid.