1. Videos about the Cyprus problem 2. BBC articles 3. The Wikipedia entry 4. Motives of the two Cypriot groups
Videos about the Cyprus Problem
1. Cyprus: Buffer Zone (2008) 2. Nicosia, the capital: This starts off with pretty music and a graphic of Venetian Nicosia, the heart of the current city, which the U.N. buffer zone splits in half. At the 2:00 mark is footage of the buffer zone and the buildings that are off limits to both communities. After that, you see the cosmopolitan side of Nicosia, mostly on the Greek Cypriot side. Note: From reading the Youtube description, you will see that the filmmaker favors one of the two sides. (2008)
9. A visit inside Famagusta / Varosha (2008) 10. The crux of the property issue: A Greek Cypriot visits the house that her family owned in 1974 when they had to flee from the Turkish military. Here she meets the Turkish Cypriot living there. (2008)
Giving a description of the Cyprus problem that is satisfying to all is as difficult as arbitrating an acceptable solution. However, both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots regard the BBC news website as fairly impartial. Here are some BBC articles that describe the problem.
The Wikipedia entry is by no means flawless, but it gives a chance for people on each side to edit it for accuracy.
Motives of the two Cypriot groups This section was written by A. Lordos & M. Faiz.¹
Greek Cypriot motives: • To escape the military stranglehold of Turkey. • To re-establish the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic. • To put an end to the “Turkification” of the northern half of Cyprus. • To be able to return to ancestral homes that are now in the north. • To be re-united with the Turkish Cypriots. (secondary motive) • To attract foreign investment by resolving “the political irregularity” on the island. (secondary motive)
Motives of Turkish Cypriots: • To become members of the European Union. • To escape economic isolation. • To become “the masters of their own house”. • To overcome the risk of another war. • To be re-united with the Greek Cypriots. (secondary motive) • To be able to return to ancestral homes that are now in the south. (secondary motive)
¹Slides 13 and 14 from Lordos, A. & Faiz, M. (2005, February). Getting to Yes: Understanding Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot public perceptions, concerning a possible Solution to the Cyprus Problem. Presentation made at the Wilton Park conference on February 17, 2005. Retrieved September 3, 2008 from http://ww.cypruspolls.org/LordosFaizPresentation.ppt
