TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS
I propose the current status quo as a final solution with minor territorial corrections such as the return of Varosha.
The main issue of contention for GCs is the issue of property and I believe the TRNC is fully in position to deal with the issue without having to dissolve itself.
According to a datatable presented by Kifeas the current property ownership is as follows:
After correcting this table for TC land in the RoC and the Buffer Zone(which will be returned to the RoC):
- Code: Select all
G C T C other state total
TR NC 1368 1113 9 734 3224
42.4% 34.5% 0.3% 22.8% 100.0%
R oC 3966 0 11 1554 5531
71.7% 0.0% 0.2% 28.1% 100.0%
Buffer 188 0 2 52 242
77.7% 0.0% 0.8% 21.5% 100.0%
UK Bases 120 18 20 96 254
47.2% 7.1% 7.9% 37.8% 100.0%
Under this scenario privately owned GC land in the North ammounts to no more than 43 percent of the total land. Of course this assumes that TCs will willingly give up their land in the South in exchage for land in the North. Approximately 120 thousand GCs will be expected to return to their properties, the other 50 thousand will be granted the TC properties in the South and will not be allowed to return. GCs will eventually form around 30-35% of the current population of the TRNC which is around 220 thousand.
In order to prevent some GC extremists from using this initiative to undermine the TRNC, restrictions should be placed on those who can get properties, such as acquiring a TRNC citizenship and signing a declaration of recognizing and accepting the soveregnity of the TRNC. The courts of the TRNC should be fully transparent on the issue of return of property, try to be as fair as possible and in order to ensure their fairness they should invite independent observers and should encourage GCs that feel cheated to apply to the ECHR.
As you can see even if all displaced persons were to apply for restitution, it seems to me that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus would be fully in position do deal with the problem.
This would effectively solve the legal and human rights problem that exists today in Cyprus, and would leave only the political problem.
With the human rights problem solved the leverage of the RoC in the ECHR and the EU will be significantly weakened, and the recognition of the TRNC will be inevitable.
In order to enforce this solution I propose that the TRNC starts returning the properties of GCs immediately in accrodance with the rulings of the ECHRs. In cases where return is not possible, refugees should be offered land which will have equivalent value or compensation.
The TRNC should try to faciliate the integration of citizens of Greek origin by offering Turkish lessons and encouraging the use of Turkish in official places.The study and use of the Turkish language should be the right and obligation of every TRNC citizen. Primary and secondary education in Turkish should be compulsory for all citizens. Citizens whose mother tongue is not Turkish shall have the right to study and use their own language alongside the compulsory study of the Turkish language.
If there is a demand for lessons in the mother tongue the state should cover all the costs of the teachers that are to undertake such an education.
The freedom of conscience, the freedom of thought, and the choice of religion and of religious or atheistic views are inviolable. The state shall assist the maintenance of tolerance and respect among the believers from different denominations, and among believers and non-believers.
No autonomous territorial formations shall exist.
The territorial integrity of the TRNC is inviolable.
All citizens shall be equal before the law. There shall be no privileges or restriction of rights on the grounds of race, nationality, ethnic self-identity, sex, origin, religion, education, opinion, political affiliation, personal or social status, or property status.
There shall be no political parties on ethnic, racial, or religious lines, nor parties which seek the violent usurpation of state power.
