Cyprus Unity Talks

[Erebus Pasha]

Cyprus: The UN to hold new unity talks in Geneva

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14061621

The leaders of divided Cyprus are meeting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva in a new effort to reach a deal on reunification.

Correspondents say the UN wants both sides to resolve the outstanding issues in the next 12 months, before Cyprus takes up a steering role in the EU.

The Greek and Turkish Cypriots remain divided over property, the right of return of the displaced, and security.

A UN peacekeeping force has been deployed on the island since 1974.

The Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, despite the frozen conflict with the breakaway Turkish-controlled north of Cyprus. It will assume the EU's rotating presidency in mid-2012.

The continuing dispute is a major obstacle blocking Turkey's efforts to join the EU.

It is the third round of three-way talks that Mr Ban has held with Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.

Recent opinion polls show many Cypriots remain very uneasy about plans for reunification, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.

She says there are already signs the two leaders themselves do not expect much progress on Thursday - after the talks, they have each scheduled their own, separate, press conferences.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish forces invaded the island in response to a Greek-led coup apparently aimed at making it part of Greece.

Christofias and Eroglu don't seem positive regarding the talks and the population itself still feels uneasy about unification according to BBC reporter Imogen Foulkes, so is there any chance some sort of positive outcome can be reached for the future of Cyprus?

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

No offence to Turkey but that island should be owned by the Cypriots only.And the Turks should get off the island or accept Cypriot rule...

[Tiberios]

Uhm, Turks have been living on the island since the 16th century tom. They have as much right to be their as their Greek neighbours.


Anyway, hopefully some agreement can be reached if both peoples desire.

[neoptolemos]

No offence to Turkey but that island should be owned by the Cypriots only.And the Turks should get off the island or accept Cypriot rule...

Uhm, Turks have been living on the island since the 16th century tom. They have as much right to be their as their Greek neighbours.


Anyway, hopefully some agreement can be reached if both peoples desire.

Kralle Tom is referring to the Turkish settlers after the 1974 not the Turkish Cypriots.
The term "Cypriot" is related to both ethnicities.
Besides the state of Cyprus is supposed to be for both the communities even before the 1974.

[Tiberios]

Kralle Tom is referring to the Turkish settlers after the 1974 not the Turkish Cypriots.
The term "Cypriot" is related to both ethnicities.
Besides the state of Cyprus is supposed to be for both the communities even before the 1974.

Ahh, then I agree. These settlers should leave.

[Heavy Weapons Guy]

I think the best solution would be to give Northern Cyprus to Turkey and (Southern) Cyprus to Greece.

[Manuel I Komnenos]

I think the best solution would be to give Northern Cyprus to Turkey and (Southern) Cyprus to Greece.

This should have definitely been the solution that should have been agreed between Turkey and Greece.


Anyway, any current settlement will be difficult as it should involve all the Turkish settlers leaving Cyprus and going back to Turkey something which is hard to accept by them.

As for Greek settlers, have you people lost your ING MINDS? Cyprus is the only internationally accepted legal sovereign state of the island and therefore has the right to allow whoever it wants to settle in it.

[Akrotatos]

No. Greek-cypriots don't want union with Greece for many years now and right now, it wouldn't benefit them either. What is needed is that the Turkish settlers from Anatolia and the turkish army leave and some kind of government between the two communities to be established.

[alhoon]

Well, it's not "breakaway Northern part" it's "occupied Northern part". Also about unification? With Cyprus about to get in a position of leadership of the EU within a year, they have little reason to start bargaining now instead of say in 5-6 months when their presidency will be nearer and they'll have more bargaining power.

About the settlers now: This is actually a bit tricky. Sure, some of them should leave but they should get some recompensation from Turkey or even from Cyprus. Sure, they settled on empty Greek Cypriot houses, but what about their children? Just kicking them out isn't nice.
As I said though, many of them should leave, with some recompensation payed to them. The rest should not have voting rights in the unified Cyprus but their children, if they were born in Cyprus should have voting rights.

PS. I'm not a traitor or anything. I just think that saying to a bunch of people after 25 years "get out" when they were (erroneously I admit) that they will have a house there is ... I don't know. Bad.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

These talks take so long they will be still going on in 6mths.When i was there on holidays i remember troops dividing the north and south.Is it still the same.Alot of People in the south seemed angry at Turkey over the situation.

[PointOfViewGun]

Cyprus: The UN to hold new unity talks in Geneva
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14061621
Christofias and Eroglu don't seem positive regarding the talks and the population itself still feels uneasy about unification according to BBC reporter Imogen Foulkes, so is there any chance some sort of positive outcome can be reached for the future of Cyprus?

A lot of similar talks have been done in the past. We gotta wait for the outcome to treat this differently.

About the settlers now: This is actually a bit tricky. Sure, some of them should leave but they should get some recompensation from Turkey or even from Cyprus. Sure, they settled on empty Greek Cypriot houses, but what about their children? Just kicking them out isn't nice.
As I said though, many of them should leave, with some recompensation payed to them. The rest should not have voting rights in the unified Cyprus but their children, if they were born in Cyprus should have voting rights.

And what about Greek settlers?

[neoptolemos]

And what about Greek settlers?

Greek settlers?
Try to be more specific please. I have never heard anything like that before.

The only possible agreement here is the definitive partition of the island.

This is the current situation and i can't see that as fair.

Cyprus should be united and the settlers have to go.

With balanced participation of the two communities in the Cypriot government.

[PointOfViewGun]

Greek settlers?
Try to be more specific please. I have never heard anything like that before.

Do you know why the ethnic percentages of the island remained same throughout 1960 and 2001?

[neoptolemos]

Do you know why the ethnic percentages of the island remained same throughout 1960 and 2001?

Enlighten us.

[PointOfViewGun]

Enlighten us.

I'm asking.

[Principe Alessandro]

The only possible agreement here is the definitive partition of the island.

[irontaino]

Cyprus should be united and the settlers have to go.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Excellent examples of why Greece and Turkey should have as little influence on the matter as possible.

I think any settlers should be accommodated, if they wish to live in a united Cyprus, but the right of return must be arranged too.

[removeduser_487563287433]

No he's asking you if you knew that. Clearly. If you don't want to talk then don't.

[Armenum]

So independence for Northern Cyprus is out of the question now? Doesn't also the North technically have to meet EU standards to become part of an EU country?

I'm not very optimistic about the result of these talks - there isn't a suitable atmosphere of trust for significant gains to be made, similar to the Palestinian conflict, especially for unification.