Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

Article by Loucas Charalambous
in todays Sunday Mail very interesting and supports my theory that all was lost last April and that the momentum for partition will gain pace over time and be the only solution.

TWO COMMENTS made last week proved very useful for anyone wondering why the Cyprus problem was never solved or, to be more precise, why it will never be solved. Because I am of the view that, in effect, the problem was solved in April 2004. The partition was cemented then and will evolve into a two-state solution much sooner than its two architects, Christofias and Papadopoulos, had calculated.

One of the revealing remarks was uttered by DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades, who censured the wealthy of Cyprus society who were now openly talking against a solution because they naively believed that the continuing division served their financial interests. Then we had Bishop of Morphou Neophytos – the only breath of fresh air among the fossilized leadership of the Church of Cyprus – who publicly told the Bishop of Paphos Chrysostomos to stick to dealing with his hotels and golf courses. This was a response to Chrysostomos’ sarcastic dig at Neophytos for taking a lead in building bridges with the Turkish Cypriot community.

Of course, for Anastassiades’ evaluation to have been entirely accurate, he should have added certain other groups to the wealthy set he spoke about, including the politicians, the Church leadership, the military, the hoteliers, the civil servants, building contractors and a host of others. All these people prefer partition, irrespective of the big risks involved, because they think that it would best serve their personal economic interests. We are talking about a paranoid, political mentality which has been cultivated by the politicians and become deeply ingrained in people.

Three quarters of the population have been poisoned by this dangerous way of thinking, as was shown during the referendum. “Why vote ‘yes’ my son? So that the value of our land plummets again?” This was how a Paphos community leader responded to someone who had urged him to vote ‘yes’, a few days before the referendum. Where he lives, a plot of land now sells for between £80,000 and £120,000. With such an amount, back in 1973, you could have bought the entire village.

When a simple community leader thinks in this way, it is hardly surprising that the Bishop of Paphos, as was correctly pointed out by his Morphou brother, would only be thinking about his bishopric’s hotels and golf courses.

I mentioned this characteristic example – one of hundreds I have collected as part of a study I am doing – because it eloquently illustrates the mindset of the majority of Greek Cypriots after the brainwashing they were put through by their political leaders; it also explains the result of the referendum. Even if they proposed a solution that gave us back all of Cyprus and a small part of Turkey, the Bishop of Paphos, the plutocrats, hoteliers, contractors and self-interested parties would still reject it. This is why there will be no other solution than today’s, even after Papadopoulos and Christofias have left office.

As I maintained in a previous comment, only if the referenda are removed from the peace process and we have a president patriotic enough to put Cyprus’ interests above his presidency would there be a chance for a settlement. But as it is almost impossible for this to happen, I suggest we accept that the Cyprus problem has been solved. The solution is partition with which, no matter how strange it may seem, the hotelier, Paphos bishop, the plutocrats and the overwhelming majority of neo-Cypriot Sybarites are perfectly comfortable.


Any comments???

[Piratis]

Loucas Charalambous
in todays Sunday Mail very interesting and supports my theory

Any comments???

No comment. You said what I wanted to say in your first 2 lines quoted above. Beyond that there is no reason to waste out time with him.

[Kifeas]

Loucas Charalambous
in todays Sunday Mail very interesting and supports my theory

Any comments???

No comment. You said what I wanted to say in your first 2 lines quoted above. Beyond that there is no reason to waste out time with him.

I second!

[Viewpoint]

Glad to read that you both agree with me. thanks

[Othellos]

“Why vote ‘yes’ my son? So that the value of our land plummets again?”

Although what Loucas Charalambous writes about the Bishop of Paphos is totally true, I would say that the above article relies more on gossip and generalizations and less on facts. 3 points:

1. Not every GC hotel owner voted against of the UN plan and not every "no" voter is as well off as Charalambous implies and perhaps assumes.

2. Plutocrats and sybarites exist in the free as well as in the occupied areas.

3. While it is a fact that there was a strong "NO" campaign that was carried out by certain political parties, several Bishops and even Papadopoulos himself, these affected the outcome of the referendum only up to a point - it was AKEL's decision that made the real difference.

Other reasons that led to the rejection of the plan were its lack of balance and justice (a joint result of Papadopoulos' incompetence and Turkish greed) , fear for the "unknown" as well as the fact that most GCs have a hard time to believe even for a moment that Turkey can honor any agreement they enter. To a great extend the above reasons are also valid but unfortunately mr Charalambous does not ever discuss them. If he did this then his articles would perhaps not be as easily dismissed by those who disagree with him (see examples above).

O.