Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Can someone please explain what this actually means? I have googled and also listened to a Greek Lecturer from University Of Nicosia yet I still cannot understand what this would actually mean to the Cyprus Solution?

Listening to the Greek Lecturer he was going off tangent trying to explain what it meant to the Cyprus Solution because he was talking about an illegal invasion by the Turkish Army in 1974 and not really answering the question of what Bi-Zonal and Bi-Communal would mean to Cyprus?

bi-zonal - means separate geographical areas where one community (TC / GC) is numerically dominant within that area.

bi-communal - means political representation at a 'community' level - that is TC have a distinct TC voice and rights as a community and GC likewise.

The 60's agreements could be said to have been bi-communal but not bi-zonal.

Preserving bi-zonality by legislation into the future is problematic within an EU framework, in that it would require some limits on the freedom of any EU citizen to reside in anywhere within the EU. Bi-communality is easier and can be defined in terms of 'first language' rather than 'ethnicity'.

Isn't Belgium bi communal bi zonal, split between Flanders and Wallonia, but houses the EU parliament when Strasbourg needs a break , If so isn't this the model the GC's and EU would want?

Thank you Erol as always very clearly explained I get it now thank you!

System doesn't work in Belgium though.

kerry 6138 wrote:Isn't Belgium bi communal bi zonal, split between Flanders and Wallonia, but houses the EU parliament when Strasbourg needs a break , If so isn't this the model the GC's and EU would want?

The 'bi-zonal' nature of Belgium is not 'protected' by law. In theory there is nothing stopping enough wallonians moving to flanders to make them a numerical majority in that region of Belgium. In practice this does not happen but there is nothing in law to stop it happening.

As far as a bi-zonal Cyprus settlement goes, the TC side generally wants some kind of codified protection to ensure that GC can not by movement and residency end up numerically dominant in both 'zones'. This is however tricky under EU norms if it is to be a permanent thing and not a temporary one.

The whole idea of controlling who can move and live where when they want will definitely clash with the freedom of movement and residence within the EU borders itself... I think our side (TC) is acting a bit paranoid on this subject! They fear Greeks buying land and becoming more in numbers???

Putting aside the fact that there are hardly any spaces left in TRNC for anyone to move to in serious numbers, The way the Greek economy has been over the past years, there is a bigger chance of Turkish investors from mainland Turkey making partnerships with the TCs and buying off half the land in the GC side and bringing in all their employees from Turkey to work and reside there - Something successfully done in TRNC over the past decade.

That being the case, it should really be the Greeks who worry about the restrictions on population settlements based on ethnic origin.

erol wrote: The 'bi-zonal' nature of Belgium is not 'protected' by law. In theory there is nothing stopping enough wallonians moving to flanders ......

Oops!
Better wear a tin hat if you go to Belgium, - the Walloons will get you if you go to Wallonia, and if you go to Flanders, the Flemings wil be after you.....

I wouldn't worry, there isn't going to be a settlement based on the current state of the talks. If there is I'll eat Paddy Ashdown's hat!!!!