What am I, if not Greek?

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Tarih	: 01 A?ustos 2008 10:52

This is a slightly different view to the usual, which is that the leaders change their faces to suit their audience for their own ends. And the question can be asked : why should we believe that Talat and Christofias might be ideological brothers who might have the interests of the whole of Cyprus close to their hearts - particularly when it might be difficult to fathom what this common interest means and when the scene has been set by fifty years of conflict and animosity.

What is positive for the two leaders is that they are the totem’s of the two communities. For better or worse, and whether we are aware of it or not, the love or hatred being attached to the leaders is a symbol of the fact that we are in a common situation. As the familiarity grows so does a new identity.

This familiarity festers and sprouts up various opinions and perspectives. In the scheme of things, I wonder how many Turkish Cypriots will be able to answer the question: what am I, if not Greek? In this constant play of us and them, it seems inevitable that part of Turkish Cypriot identity will be in opposition to another. As basic a truism as it is, it is worth noting.

What will be important in the run up to negotiations on the lead up to a comprehensive solution, as noted by Turkey’s foreign office, will be whether or not the Turkish Cypriot expectations are met - but what are these expectations? And will they be compatible with the international will for a federal solution?

A Facebook group cropped up last week, asking the question what it means to be Turkish Cypriot. It’s inevitable that such a question would be especially relevant to a community of people who are so young and have yet to be able to express themselves on the world stage. The time is probably now to contest history and culture in an objective manner. This time there also seems to be vested interest shown by international nations and organisations to adjudicate whether or not each communities expectations are fair and considered. To simply ask to be left alone out of suspicion will no doubt be understood, but not rewarded with a hand of international friendship.

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