Cyprus-Forum.com

[Alexandros Lordos]

Over the next couple of months, I will be conducting another poll, of Turkish Cypriots this time, to ask similar questions to the ones I asked of Greek Cypriots.

The sample will again be 1000 people.

TCs will be asked what kind of solution they want, and what changes to the UN Plan they would be willing to tolerate.

Furthermore, their wider views and feelings vis-a-vis the Greek Cypriots and Turkey will be researched.

Why am I telling you all this, you may ask?

Basically, I need the help of people here in this forum to prepare the questionnaire. What specific improvements to the UN Plan should I ask about, to check if it is acceptable or unacceptable to TCs? What specific attitudes to GCs should I check for? And so on ...

If anyone wants to also suggest different sets of questions, their views are also welcome ...

[brother]

I would like the questions asked of both communities if they could see a joint cypriot police force and army of cyprus as a feasable idea in the future.

For those that ask why, if we do unify our island these are basic requirements for law and security on our island but hardly ever discussed.

[insan]

Hi Alexandros,


I'd like to hear the answers of these questions from TCs:


1- Do you know the reasons why %76 of the GCs said no to the Anan Plan?

2- Which of those reasons can be justified and which cannot, in your opinion? Why?

3- How many settlers should be alowed to stay in Cyprus and granted the united Cyprus citizenship? Why?


4- Would you accept a unitarily united Cyprus which you'll have political equality on legislative and judicial bodies and proportional participation on executive body without the guarantorship of foreign powers? Why?



And one question to you Alexandros... Do UNOPS financially fund the polls you made?

[Alexandros Lordos]

No funding from UNOPS, I am afraid ...

[cannedmoose]

Hi Alexandros,

Good to see a fellow researcher using this forum to the max, good work. I am also in the process of reading through your research on GC attitudes, I will try to send you some questions, points on this once I've finished if that's ok.

What I'd be interested in hearing from TC's are some questions related to 'fear' of GC's. Do they see it as possible or plausible for the two communities to live alongside each other without antagonism? Have their views on this changed since the 'opening' of the 'border' in April 2003. Are they concerned about moving from an 'independent' status to that of a minority in a unified state? What would be their three main requirements of any acceptable solution?

A particularly interesting analysis to do would be to ask how they voted in the referendum and cross reference the no's and yes's with a question asking for the top 3 factors that led them to vote in that way. You could probably get quite a nice analysis of rationale doing this.

I'd also ask what are their top 3 concerns (e.g. security of person, rights to property, economic take-over) should a resolution unifying the state be found.

Finally, a question related to the maintenance of overseas troops on the island would be interesting. For example, would they be prepared to agree to a plan which removed all foreign troops from the island (excluding the SBAs), or do they see the maintenance of a token Turkish force as necessary to ensure their security?

Hope these Wednesday morning ramblings are in some way useful. Must get back to reading my articles... yawn!

All the best to everyone... looking forward to getting back to Cyprus in 10 days!

[metecyp]

What specific improvements to the UN Plan should I ask about, to check if it is acceptable or unacceptable to TCs? What specific attitudes to GCs should I check for? And so on

1- What's the highest percentage of GCs that should be allowed to return to the Turkish constituent state? Do you accept more than what Annan 5 suggested? Should these GCs that choose to live in the Turkish constituent state have full political rights?

2- Do you accept total withdrawal of troops?

3- Do you accept more settlers to be asked to return back?

4- If the Annan plan is dead, would you accept federalized RoC (i.e. TCs will have same rights as in RoC but the structure will be federation)?

[turkcyp]

TCs will be asked what kind of solution they want, and what changes to the UN Plan they would be willing to tolerate.

Dear Aleandros,

I think it is a great idea to have a unbiased researdch like the one you are proposing to be carried away in the north.

But in your interview you should not just ask, what kind of changes they can tolerate but also ask what kind of changes they wish to see so that they like the plan more?

Tolerate gives the impression that the next version of plan (if there is any) will be made just to upease the GCs, and make them accept the plan. I do not think this kind of only one sided changes would be welcomed in the north. Just my opinion.

I would like the questions asked of both communities if they could see a joint cypriot police force and army of cyprus as a feasable idea in the future.

For those that ask why, if we do unify our island these are basic requirements for law and security on our island but hardly ever discussed.

I am tottaly against a sole or joint Cyprus army. After the solution i believ all Cyprus should be demilitarized, local and foreign. There should not be even a TC army or GC army, or for that matter joint TC/GC army.

Apart from the army, all the armed militia should be made illegal and banned as well. All kind of arm sales (may be with exception of hunting guns), should also be banned. That is one privillige I really hated about American Consititution. Nobody should have right to bear arms other than police.

About the police force, this should be like USA. There can be TC police force in north, sand GC police force in south, and a joint Federal police force (FBI kind of thing) on the federal level, that only deals with federal law, and the criminals who cross form one state to another in order to avoid prosecution.

I have no problem with GC police force being more than TC police force. Afterall they are responsible for the safety of bigger area, and bigger population. And I have no problem that GCs are represented in the federal police force more than TCs. (A population proportion can be easily applied).

[Alexandros Lordos]

I think turkcyp has a point when he says that TCs have to be asked about changes they would wish for, in order to like the Plan more ... (not just changes to satisfy the GCs)

So, does anybody here have any suggestions, what particular changes to the Plan I should ask Turkish Cypriots about? I aim my question primarily to the Turkish Cypriots in the forum, who know best the areas in which TCs feel that the plan could be improved ...

[metecyp]

So, does anybody here have any suggestions, what particular changes to the Plan I should ask Turkish Cypriots about? I aim my question primarily to the Turkish Cypriots in the forum, who know best the areas in which TCs feel that the plan could be improved

To tell you the truth, I don't think TCs are looking forward to any improvements. They know that the next plan, if there will be one, is going to be tailored to satisfy GCs since they were the ones that said No to the plan.

So you shouldn't ask about improvements, you should ask about changes that TCs can digest (tolerate) in order to make the plan more acceptable to GCs. I know some TCs won't like this (eg. turkcyp) but that's the way it is, the next plan will be tailored to satisfy GC demands more.

[Alexandros Lordos]

OK everyone, my work is progressing ... here follows the provisional "list of improvements to the UN Plan" which I will ask TCs about. For each of the following potential improvements to the UN Plan, the response options will be: 1 - Totally Unacceptable, 2- A change for the worse, 3- Don't mind or don't know, 4- A change for the better, 5- Absolutely Essential

Security and Guarantees

1. UN Guarantees for the implementation of the agreement
2. Stronger Guarantees that the final agreement will be an integral part of European Law
3. The bulk of Greek and Turkish troops to leave much sooner - within 1 to 3 years of the agreement, rather than up to 18 years of the agreement
4. Treaty of Guarantee to be replaced by a European Security agreement, when Turkey joins the EU
5. Greek and Turkish Intervention Rights to be clearly defined and limited, so that they only apply in particular situations
6. Cyprus to be fully demilitarised (ie all Greek and Turkish troops to depart) when Turkey joins the EU

Refugees-Relocation

1. Refugees to be entitled to 2/3 of their property rather than 1/3. Exceptions to protect current occupants to still apply.
2. Each refugee that will not receive his original home, to be entitled to a new home in the same town or village
3. Refugees to have priority over settlers when contesting property
4. 25,000 Settlers to remain, instead of 45,000
5. The right to become a resident of the other constituent state to be given much sooner, within 1 to 3 years rather than up to 18 years. Permanent residence limits to still apply.
6. No permanent limits to the number of Greek Cypriots who can live in the north and Turkish Cypriots who can live in the south
7. All property to be returned to its original owners without exceptions.
8. All settlers to leave the island

Economic Issues

1. More equal distribution of the cost of the Federal Government
2. Federal Government to have more authority in matters of Finance and External Trade
3. The right to buy property in the other constituent state to be given within 9 years, rather than within 18 years.
4. International Donors to finance a greater proportion of the cost of the solution
5. Stronger incentives and compensation for those who will have to relocate because of the solution

Federal Government Decision Making

1. The three international judges in the Supreme court to come from EU countries
2. Presidential Council to be composed of 9 voting members (3 TCs and 6 GCs) instead of 6 (2 TCs and 4 GCs). Decisions to still require the consent of one member from each community.
3. Senate special majority to apply only in very important issues
4. Federal Government to make decisions by simple majority, without special safeguards to ensure participation of TCs in decision making process

As you can see, I have tried to include both the more moderate perspectives and the more radical perspectives. I've also tried to include some improvements that the Turkish Cypriots would ask for, however I confess ignorance as to this matter ... if any TCs can suggest more improvements that members of their community would ask for, I would be glad to include them ...

... also, I would like to ask GCs if there are any other improvements they would like to add to the list ...

P.S. This is just one of the questions in my survey, other matters will be broached also, not just improvements to the UN Plan.