The Kurds should have been founding partners of Turkey just as T-Cypriots became in Cyprus. They were promised such status by Mustafa Kemal. Kemal cheated them. That is why tens of thousands of Kurds have died since 1923.
Read here if interested for a Kurd's sober view: The Kurds, the Americans and the Demands of Liberty The Statement of Kani Xulam At the Human Relations Day North Dakota State University (NDSU) Memorial Union Fargo, North Dakota Thursday, January 18, 2001
The Cypriot President had every right to propose the 1963 document:
SUGGESTED MEASURES FOR FACILITATING THE SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF THE STATE AND FOR THE REMOVAL OF CERTAIN CAUSES OF INTER- COMMUNAL FRICTION (1963) Archbishop Makarios President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicosia, 30th November, 1963
Erdogan, from a position of strength and representing the Turkish majority ethnicity of the country, proposes changes to Turkey's constitution today, similar to Makarios' proposals in 1963.
What will Erdogan do if Kurds react the same way T-Cypriots reacted in 1963? Turks and T-Cypriots best answer in their minds this question, because I am 100% sure that is where things are headed!
The fact is, as recognized by the UN, T-Cypriots opted out of the 1960 arrangement by refusing to discuss the 1963 document. Today, they need to negotiate their way back in. Unfortunately, failing to reach a compromise, we are left with the Republic of Cyprus. EVERYTHING ELSE IS AN ILLEGAL ADVENTURE OF TURKEY and a lot will depend on how well she can handle her own Kurds and her foreign policy.
The fact is Turkey is losing allies left and right [Germany, Isreal, USA] her Kurds are already pursuing identical SELF-SEGREGATION policies to those inspired ones of the T-Cypriots in the 1960s!!
Let us all, Kurds, Cypriots and Turks adopt this logic:
If a right is a right too much for the Kurds of Turkey [22+%] then a similar right is also a right too much for the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus [10% today or 18% in 1960], and vice versa.
The fact is Turkey is losing allies left and right [Germany, Isreal, USA] her Kurds are already pursuing identical SELF-SEGREGATION policies to those inspired ones of the T-Cypriots in the 1960s!!
Let us all, Kurds, Cypriots and Turks adopt this logic:
If a right is a right too much for the Kurds of Turkey [22+%] then a similar right is also a right too much for the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus [10% today or 18% in 1960], and vice versa.
The comparison between Turkey's Kurdish problem and Cyprus' Turkish problem can very well be the catalyst everyone is looking for the solution to both.
