Yes I have been to Cyprus, and I know quite a few Cypriots and they see themselves as ethnic Greeks. Without exception. The term "Cypriot" is used in a way similar to "Cretan". It is rather an expression of tribal affiliation than of ethnic Identity. But as I said, this assertion is based on my personal experience. If it applies to a majority of the Cypriots I can not say but many Cypriots do certainly feel that way.

But lets assume, for arguments sake, my observations regarding Cypriot Identity are completely of the mark. That still leaves us with the question: What problem does the unification of Cyprus solve?

As others have pointed out, the Greek Cypriot economy is doing alright, per capita GDP is at European levels. The Northern Cypriots are content living under the protection of Ankara's troops and those who are not can move to the south and apply for Cypriot passports. And none has to cope with the peculiarities of the other. This is an ideal situation.

Re-unification is like trying to reconcile with an ex wife or girlfriend while forgetting the reasons that made her an ex in the first place. What about: lets just be friends and move on with our lives.

Didn't you missed something? Like situation of GC refugees or TC's ongoing exodus to England.

Lets face it, the refugees who grew up and lived in the north and are truly attached to it are getting old. In twenty years or so they wont be around any more. And why should they desire to live in a unified Cyprus?

What form of government would a unified Cyprus have? A federation between two autonomous regions? Veto rights of the TC minority over the GC majority?

The Turkish Cypriots will never agree to a unification without some sort of political fail save. In other words an arrangement that gives them power beyond their proportion in the population. Which is understandable but then again: A united Cyprus can only be a foul compromise and not a democracy where a vote is a vote and the majority rules. And why should the GC's be concerned about the TC's exodus?

If these negotiations fail, and they may not, i think in 15-20 years time there will be a final move for a separation but not anytime sooner. in 20 years time it will be 54 years since 75, and 65 year since 63 when the trouble started on the island, no one in the international community is going to seriously try and reunite people who have been apart for 65 years. Its just a waiting game.

?

What does this question even mean? Are we are supposed to believe that the existence of an unrecognized country that is referred to as "occupied land" everywhere except Turkey (and may be in a few other places), living under blockades & embargoes, on an island militarized as shit & still full of antagonisms is "not a problem"?

Sounds to me like you are idealizing this situation with little attention to actuality. There will never be an internationally recognized TRNC, nor "unification with motherlands" in the future of Cyprus.

For your later comments: a system that is giving them rights beyond their proportion need not be (or be called) antidemocratic. Democracy isn't the absolute rule of the majority over the entire population [don't get into definitions here please]. Nor, the absolute power of the majority over everybody else can be called democratic.

I'll tell you: Those who consider the current situation a problem and thus seek a "Solution" seem to forget that the partition of Cyprus IS the solution for the mess that was Cyprus prior to 1974. Why change an arrangement that has proven beneficial, to both communities, for more than 30 years?

Consider the alternatives. If things had gone according the way of the Greek Junta, Cyprus would be part of Greece and the Generals would be still in power in Greece. Neither Greece nor Cyprus would be part of the EU, we would be stuck in the 50's until this day. If again Cyprus had remained independent and undivided it would reassemble Lebanon. We would have an ongoing low intensity civil war interrupted by uneasy ceasefires.

Considering all probable scenarios, partition was, and still is, the best solution to the Cyprus problem because it ultimately brought true freedom to both peoples. Most observers fail to recognize that; mainly due to the fact that most observers don't have a clue what the word FREEDOM means.

To be free is to live according to ones "nature". And ultimately the partition allows Greeks and Turks to do just that. Don't you think?

This is the first time i have ever seen a greek trying to explain to turks why partition is a good idea and the turks not agreeing


E, are you from mainland greece or a greek cypriot? Do you find a lot more greeks are having the same views as you now?

E.Iapetides,

Partition MAY be the most stable solution (although I have my doubts about that). BUT, TRNC is not recognized and it won't be. Partition also does not end the military tension on the island. So, what do we do? Unite.

Of course I can't be completely sure of this, but any solution at this time is likely to be around a federation, or some sort of "two-state formula", where the North has some autonomy for its own affairs. So, by unification we don't exactly mean the two communities intermingling at full speed; we mean ending the status-quo, finding a stable formula upon which the island can be demilitarized & its entire territorial control can be legitimized. I doubt populations will move & homogenize throughout the island EVEN under full unification, so the current borders for the two communities are likely to be long lasting, more or less.

I respect that you are bringing new ideas to the table, but I don't agree with you here. I also find your counterfactuals about today's Greece very far fetched.

partition in itself can be a solution if a certain amount of land is given back and one that i beleive most GC's would prefer as opposed to what is being offered now in terms of goverment running and the amount of land given back.

The millitary tension on the island is not that great either, although the GC's keep on buying arms turkey hasnt exactly responded if you compare it to the arms race going on in the aegean so i dont think thats a very valid argument.

I was born in Hellas my friend. In the one and only Makedonia to be more specific, which makes me a mainland Greek. My roots though are in Kotyora or Ordu as it is called nowadays. As for the Greeks being in their majority for or against the reunification of Cyprus? Well it depends how you formulate the question.

If you keep it generic a majority will spontaneously favor unity. Things change as soon you go into the specifics of a possible agreement. I think a unification that meets the requirements of the TC's would be rejected by the majority of the Greeks. And that wont change anytime soon.

Now the TC's, they fail to comprehend the consequences of reunification. Otherwise they wouldn't even bother negotiating. The Idea of two states in some form of loose federation aims to create the Illusion of a unified Cyprus while it keeps the two populations separated. Such an arrangement is just incompatible with EU regulations.

Every citizen of the EU has the RIGHT to live, work and acquire property anywhere in the EU. Which means keeping the GC's out of Northern Cyprus would be IMPOSSIBLE as soon as the north becomes EU territory. GC's would have the undeniable right to move to northern Cyprus, they'll have the right to vote in communal elections and before you know it, if they move in numbers, you'll have Greek local administrations in the northern part of Cyprus. I don't think the TC psyche is ready for that.

You may think that both sides could sign agreements that prevent the GC's moving north and vice versa but this is most certainly IMPOSSIBLE since it goes against the fundamental principles of the EU. The European Union is build on INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS such us the right to settle live and work anywhere within the union. It is not within the authority of the GC government to sign the individual rights of its people away in order to reach an agreement. Even if it wanted to.

The EU is not just a economic structure, it is a Superstate that guarantees the individual rights of its citizens within its territory. That doesn't mean that unity is impossible. It only means that the restricted unity which is envisioned by the TRNC is not compatible with the founding principles of the EU. I don't suppose the TC's are dropping their demands any time soon. Do you?

However my own objections to unification are based on rather philosophical considerations and not on EU legalities.

OK, E.Iapetides, but why would the Greek Cypriots WANT to move north, leaving their homes in the south? This is not an easy question to speculate on, but I think GCs who will be entitled to their Northern properties would just want to sell them to the current residents, & just stay where they are. Significant GC settlement in the North, it seems to me, would only be possible under a government sponsored incentive scheme or something, that encourages Greek settlement in the north. This is why I say the current borders are likely to be long lasting, though maybe informally & after some exchange of land.

We won't know what will happen until it actually happens. But there are potentialities.
Why should the Cypriots want to go north you ask? for economic reasons for example.

They do have money on their hands, at least more money than the TC's. They can invest that money into their regained land. Tourism industry is a good investment in Cyprus and land is a scarce Commodity on an island. So why should they sell to the TC's if they can make more by utilizing it?

If the unification does indeed happen the EU regional development programs will kick in. The GC's are already acquainted with EU operations the TC's are not. There are certainly a few billion Euros to be made here.

Land exchange is far more problematic than it used to be back when the GC wasn't part of the EU. Back then, the GC government could just agree on land exchange with the TRNC now they can do that only with public lands. They can't exchange privately owned land without the consent of the rightful owners.

Unless they get the consent of every one who has a deed on it they are not authorized to exchange land. They may do it anyways, but the deed holders could easily challenge such proceedings in the EU courts.

In fact, If the GC's wanted to screw the TC's they would have their government sign into contract anything the TC's ask of them. Latter on they can individually appear before EU courts and challenge each and every one concession the GC government made to the TC's. And they would be successful. Much of what the TC demand is not up to EU code.

I just don't think the TC's understand the consequences here. Unification would bury them under a mount of EU court orders. Are they prepared for it?

But the interesting question is: What happens when the EURO empire collapses? No way around it! Empires collapse and leave ethnicities mingled, striving for independence and bickering about land. That's what caused the Cyprus problem in the first place wasn't it? The collapse of the Ottoman and latter of the British Empire. What makes you think that the collapse of the EURO empire wont have a similar effect?