Cyprus-Forum.com

[insan]

GCs accept federal solution but Annan changes essential
by Annie Charalambous

Most Greek Cypriots reluctantly accept the prospect of a federal solution to the Cyprus problem but demand substantial improvements before a new Annan plan could be adopted in a second referendum.

This is what a 102-page-long scientific study by political analyst Alexandros Lordos has revealed.

"Only a minority of Greek Cypriots - about 23% - resist the prospect of a federal solution to the Cyprus problem ... (But) three particular demands have such strong and widely-based support among the Greek Cypriot population, it is doubtful that any plan which fails to take them into account could possibly be approved in a second referendum," Lordos told journalists.

Specifically, 76% of Greek Cypriots demand that the withdrawal of Turkish troops should take place much sooner than currently provided for in the Annan plan.

A second demand, by 75% of Greek Cypriots, is that more settlers leave the island after reunification and Turkey contributes financially to the compensation of refugees who won’t have their property returned.

Thirdly, 73% of Greek Cypriots want the cost of operating the federal state to be spread more equitably, so that they don’t end up having to shoulder 90% of its cost.

The market research for the study, entitled "Can The Cyprus Problem be Solved?" was carried out by CYMAR Ltd, which surveyed more than 1,000 Greek Cypriots of different age, sex, locality, political orientation, refugee and non-refugee status.

It also found that only five percent of Greek Cypriots would accept the plan as it stands, while 19% would be willing to put their concerns aside for the good of a settlement.

"This total makes up the 24% that voted ‘yes’ in the referendum," Lordos said.

Another 14% want "enforceable" guarantees that all sides will abide by the agreement and that the new Federal state is the legal successor to the Republic of Cyprus.

"If their demands were satisfied, the "Yes" vote would rise from 24 percent to about 38%," he added.

The remainder needed to secure a positive referendum outcome could be swayed if the three particular demands were met, Lordos said.

But there were other proposed changes, considered essential by more than 55% of those polled.

For example, 72% demand the provision of international guarantees that the solution would be implemented, while 64% want defined absolute limits to the influx of Turkish citizens in Cyprus.

This should be in such a way as to secure the long-term demographic balance on the island.

Also, 63% want a greater proportion of each refugee’s property that lies in areas belonging to the other constituent state to be returned to its rightful owners than the plan presently provides for.

Sixty-one percent insist that guarantor powers should not have the right of unilateral intervention, while 58% want the eventual withdrawal of the Turkish and Greek contingent of 650 and 950, respectively.

The study also found that the majority of Greek Cypriots seem to be reasonably well-informed about the Annan plan. Only one in every 20 appears not to know the UN blueprint, at all.

"It is important to note that the segment of the population which is most independent and unbiased, and which keeps an equal distance from all points of view in order to make a decision from the broadest and most inclusive perspective, also voted "No" at the referendum, by 76%," Lordos said.

On the question whether Greek Cypriots are ready for a Solution Now, the replies were "categorical", he noted.

"The Greek Cypriot people wish to arrive at a solution in the shortest possible time. Not only have they become tired of waiting, not believing that the passage of time will provide them with better opportunities, but they passionately yearn for the moment when a final solution is found," Lordos said.

In fact, 67.8% of Greek Cypriots would have liked negotiations to resume before December, the month when the European Union decides whether to give Turkey a date for accession negotiations. Only 8.6% said they never wanted negotiations to begin.

Moreover, 14.3% want negotiations to resume within 2005, and another 9.4% in a few years.

"It may well be that recent phenomena, such as the rapid rate of increase in the development of occupied properties in the north, and the fact that the international community is leaning towards direct economic relations with the breakaway Turkish Cypriot ‘state’, may have intensified the concern among Greek Cypriots that time for a solution is running out," Lordos said.





Now the question is what rightful demands TCs have and is it possible to fuse both parties demands into one, inorder to satisfy vast majority of both sides?


I'd like to see a similar poll made with TCs.

[MicAtCyp]

Also, 63% want a greater proportion of each refugee’s property that lies in areas belonging to the other constituent state to be returned to its rightful owners than the plan presently provides for

It is very interesting how polls rank the matter of property either in the middle or at the end of the concerns of GCs.The fact is it is the number one issue in the mind of every refugee. And what does he mean "greater proportion"? Is for example 40% (instead of 33% proposed in the Anan plan) OK?? I would say that nobody will be satisfied with anything less than 100%. And if that 100% cannot all come from their own properties it should come from the sum of their own+exchanged TC property.

In my opinion most polls tend to direct the public opinion to a solution that will satisfy the money makers. For a capitalist it is more important to have the conditions to multiply his income than any property he previously had. Because in the long run the profit he will do, will be 100 times more than the property he will lose...

PS. Who is this Alexandros Lordos? Is he the son of the owner of Palm Beach, and Lordos Beach hotels? Well, if yes then that explains it all ...

[brother]

i have always said this all cypriots should be allowed to claim there home back or get compensation, there can be no other way.

[Alexandros Lordos]

Hello, I am the author of the study ...

Insan suggests that a similar study should be done of Turkish Cypriots, to see what improvements they demand, and indeed such a study is currently under way. The results will be available in February.

MicAtCyp suggests that my study underestimates the demand for return of property, but this is not the case. It comes out in fact that for Greek Cypriots this is indeed one of their top demands, right after the withdrawal of Turkish Troops and Settlers. My study however did not ask what percentage of their property Greek Cypriots would demand instead, but I am quite sure that 40% would be perceived as an insufficient improvement ...

MicAtCyp also suggests that I am a capitalist crook because my surname is Lordos ... well. No comment here. I would prefer to be judged according to my own deeds, and, frankly, MicAtCyp does not even know me. An apology would be welcome here.

Anyhow, I think the most important insight that arose through my study was that Greek Cypriots do not in their majority demand such improvements as would negate the political equality and bizonality of the solution. All they are asking for is for a more secure solution, and one where the rights of refugees are more fully respected.

I would be glad to respond to any more questions or criticisms that people may have ... I will also try to post a download link, here, for anyone who would like to read my study.

[Piratis]

Greek Cypriots do not in their majority demand such improvements as would negate the political equality and bizonality of the solution.

Well, most "regular" people say what they learned all these years: "Turkish troops our of Cyprus - All refugees to return - Settlers to go back".

In your next research ask people specifically what "political equality" between the two communities means, and lets see how many of them realize that a Turkish Cypriot vote would count 4.5 times more than their own vote.

Refugees and Settlers are big problems of today, smaller problems of tomorrow. Political equality of communities, which is a racial discrimination, is the huge problem of tomorrow that will bring new disasters for Cyprus.

[erolz]

Political equality of communities, which is a racial discrimination, is the huge problem of tomorrow that will bring new disasters for Cyprus.

No the problem that has brought 50 years of disater in Cyprus is 'your' refusal to accept political equality (at any level and in any form) and not the political equality itself. Your continued refusal to accept this will certainly continue the disasters that Cyprus has already sufferd on into the future for as long as you insist on it.

[Alasya]

PIRATIS wrote:

"Political equality of communities, which is a racial discrimination, is the huge problem of tomorrow that will bring new disasters for Cyprus".

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Once again you seem to misunderstand the meaning of words that you use so freely and carelessly. Race is one thing, ethnicity is another. The Cyprus conflict is many of things my dear Piratis, but it is not racial in any way, shape or form.

As in the general discussion forum, in response to a different topic, you demonstrated the same problem with meaning, you couldn’t distinguish between "nation" and "nation-state", and this caused a misunderstanding.

Race means one of the major groups which human beings can be divided into according to their PHYSICAL features, such as skin color.

Since in Cyprus, nearly everybody, Greek, Turkish, Maronite, Latin Cypriots are all Caucasian (white), then really your point is not valid.

The only differences in Cyprus are linguistic, religious and ethnic.

[-mikkie2-]

Erol,

By definition, the political equality of two numerically unequal communities will not work either. The traditional method of resolution is a federal state where each community has its own autonomous government that deals with the specific needs of that community and a central government which oversees basic law, fianance and the international personality of the state.

Don't you think that perhaps the TC's are also being unreasonable in demanding the kind of political equality that they are seeking? Don't you perhaps realise that in enshrining political equality in the way suggested will lead to inequality between the communities?

I fail to see how this will work in the long run.

There has to be acceptance by the GC's that we will not have a unitary state where they predominate in all aspects of political life and thus the compromise is a federal solution. On the flip side, there has to be acceptance by the TC's that they are a much smaller community and thus the compromise is a federal solution which gives the TC's autonomy to run their community affairs (and for the GC's to run theirs) and to have their proportional share of running the central government.

If the TC's cannot accept this then I am afraid that we will be going our separate ways. I think Piratis is right in that in the long run we will be storing up problems as we would be enshrining inequalities into a future constitution.

What the TC's want is a capitulation by the GC's! That is neither just nor fair.

[Piratis]

Professor Alasya, here is a lesson for you:

race
1) A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.
2) A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race.
3) A genealogical line; a lineage.
4) Humans considered as a group.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=race

[Bananiot]

A nation is a group of people who are united by a misconception of the past and hate against their neighbours.