Foot bridge built to rebuild Turk - Greek bonds - failed

[Jenny_Dabber]

I have been watching this lately on the local news, so many feelings over this. Some people want it and others do not, to be honest I have been avoiding Ledre st for a main reason that there is alot of trouble brewing.

Turkish Cypriot officials have begun dismantling a controversial footbridge in Nicosia in hopes of opening another crossing point through the line dividing the Greek and Turkish communities on Cyprus.

The dispute over the footbridge has blocked the opening of the crossing point on Ledras Street in Nicosia's old city since 2005.

The Greek Cypriots have insisted that the footbridge encroaches on a United Nations zone running through the divided city and they have demanded that the Turkish Cypriots remove the structure.

It remains unclear whether the Greek Cypriots will agree to open the crossing once the bridge is gone because they also have demanded that Turkish troops pull back from the immediate area.


Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded the island in response to a coup in Nicosia backed by the military government then ion power in Greece.

story

 

[slim]

From my time spent in Northern Cyprus it seemed that the majority of Turkish Cypriots were in favour of unification, in fact there were strikes an meetings to protest that unification wasn't happening. It would seem that the Greek Cypriots are doing everything in their power to stop any unification of the two sides. As the article states Turkey intervened i Cyprus after a Greek led coupe. The Turkish army was deployed to prevent mass murder of the Turkish Cypriot population.
Time for the world to be allowed to fly direct to Northern Cyprus and not have to go via Turkey.

 

[Shakey]

Well the Bubbles hate the Turks 'cos of perceived injustices suffered whilst Greece was run by the Ottomans.

Also in the 20's/30's there was a population swap on both sides, where Greeks who lived in Turkey moved to Greece and vice versa. I've walked round a deserted village in Turkey, signs still up in Greek, but the Turks never moved into it when it was vacated.

This swap seemed to be relatively peaceful, no ethnic cleansing. (Interestingly, Aristotle Onassis the Greek shipping bloke was born in Turkey.)

Dunno about Cyprus in particular though - perhaps the willingness to let bygones be bygones never took hold there and anti-Turk feeling is particularly vehement.

 

[rugger_bob]

Pity they couldn't meet over a cup of coffee , hey Shakey and resolve there differances !!

 

[Shakey]

The Greeks can't resolve their own differences between themselves over a cup of coffee, never mind their differences with the Turks!

Everytime I've been through a Greek village there seemed to be some sort of shouting going on. But not between 1200 and 1600, 'cos they're all sleeping. :lol:

 

[Always_a_Civvy]

The Turks were heavily discriminated against by the Greek population long before Turkey invaded Cyprus. Some of us are old enough to remember that... just! :lol: Personally I retain my support for the Turkish Cypriots. (I've just donned by teflon helmet for the flak! :wink

 

[asst_dep_to_dep_asst]

No flak from me, but there's such a lot that echoes other areas of intransigence around the world, NI, the Middle East, India / Pakistan and most of it has at least a bit to do with bl**dy religion.

Northern Cyprus is lovely, especially in comparison to the wildly touristy bits of Southern Cyprus. Maybe there are too many Turkish Army camps, but the creeping tourist development is happening and will spoil the place before long.

 

[slim]

Having worked frequently in the North of Cyprus and seen how hard the Northern Cypriot population is working for and demanding unity with the South I am on the side of the North. Though referred to as Turkish Cypriots they prefer to be called Cypriots. Its time for Turkey and Greece to release their hold on the island and for Cyprus to become an integrated again.