Turkish Cyrpriots Optimistic for A Solution

Standing in the rain, people were silent, as if fearing from disturbing the delicate process yet urging for "freedom" and "solution".

Bianet interviewed Turkish Cypriots during and after this important meeting to find out their expectations, grievances and their opinions on the prospect of becoming an EU member

The president of the Union of Turkish Cypriot Managers (KTYB) Belgin Boyra, the president of the Lefkosa Baro (Lawyers' Association) Enver Öztürk, the Chairman of the Turkish Republican Party (CTP) Mehmet Ali Talat and journalist Hürrem Tulga told bianet their opinions.

Women in the Street: Enough is enough

Lawyer Belgin Boyra from the KTYB, former chairwoman of the Union of Turkish Women is "hopeful": "The leaders haven't met for four years but the KTYB met with Southern groups during this period and carried out common projects," she told Bianet.

"The process gained momentum, and I am also optimistic of the situation...Those on at the negotiation table are so serious that they could not leave the table," she observes.

* Women in the streets shout "Enough is enough."

"Many Turks are going to South to find jobs," she says. "And this is very understandable. For the youth there is the hope. In the near future no native Cypriots will be left here. The youth will go wherever they can," she describes the situation in the Turkish North.

She refutes the idea of "annexation" with Turkey. "Then, Cyprus will be like one of the Principo islands on the Marmara Sea. Then Cyprus will be no different from the Turkey's Southern Province of Hatay what was annexed by Turkey from Syria in late 1930s," she analyses.

"If we would wish so, we can anyway go to Turkey and live there. Here things won't work with Turkish aid anymore," she adds. Even those who emigrated the island after Turkish invasion in 1974 want Cyprus become an EU member country," she concludes.

According to public opinion polls, the majority of Turkish Cypriots are for joining the EU. According to unofficial surveys 80 percent of all Turkish Cypriots want to join the EU.

"Should the South joins the EU in 2002, people here will collect their bags and leave for the South," Boyra predicts. "Now Northern Cypriot rulers are after prohibiting people from obtaining Southern passports." And asks: "Where in the world is double citizenship forbidden!"

Hopes covered with ashes now turn green

The chair of Nicosia Bar Association, lawyer Enver Öztürk is of the opinion that the talks are important and he is happy with the course. The common statement made after the Denktas - Klerides meeting leaves the impression that "the hopes covered with ashes are turning green," he told Bianet.

"Klerides and the Greek side, rather more than expressing good will, are after accelerating the EU accession process," Öztürk believes.

Turkish Cypriots too "are 100 percent" for EU membership he claims and justifies that with the motto of Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: "The face of the modern Turkish people should look at West," he says.

Yet, he is against joining the EU "for the sake of joining". "The EU membership has to be done gained with dignity. First a solution to Cyprus question, then EU membership."

The issues of "equality" for Turkish Cypriots and "security" for Turkey is of utmost import, he told Bianet. "The people won't say yes to a solution which does not take Turkey's security into account." n Europe.

A solution is necessary

Mehmet Ali Talat, the chairperson of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) points that "the CTP members are today for a solution in the streets". Talat is content that the talks have not turned out to a dead end "as Denktas expected" and is hopeful of the overall process.

"The meeting itself is very important, we support it... Denktas expected that Klerides would refuse a meeting, but it didn't turn out as he expected. This made us happy. This is a step of a positive development, we are hopeful," he told Bianet.

"Actually the international situation pushes for a solution to the Cyprus problem," he believes.

He refutes the pessimistic prospect recently voiced by Turkish prime minister Ecevit tha "Norther Turkish Cypriots would face ethnic cleansing should the South entered the EU alone.

"This is actually unbelievable within the EU security conception. I don't see something like this as being possible," he says and adds: "Today almost 90 percent of the Cypriots want the EU membership.".

Big bargaining

Journalist. Hürrem Tulga looks at the recent developments in a broader perspective: "

In this process those native inhabitants of Cyprus don't have any influence or say," he told IPS.

"There will be bargains concerning the inhabitants in the region. The guarantorship of NATO and Turkey on Cyprus will continue," he predicts. "Turkey seeks to protect its influence In this situation how could a solution be possible? Actually the current situation will continue for a long time. It is only an image that doors are opened for Cyprus' EU membership," he concludes.