Tuesday 25 January 2011

Federation based on language rather than ethnicity

Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu will negotiate at the forthcoming talks on Cyprus to be held in Geneva on 26 January using the Belgian model of federation as a basis, according to reports in the Turkish Cypriot press.

He will propose that the island will be divided based on language. In this context, Turkish speakers will not be able to settle in an area where Greek is spoken, and Greek speakers will not be able to settle in an area where Turkish spoken. To settle in a Turkish area, a Greek Cypriot would be obliged to learn Turkish. Settlement in this area without knowing Turkish will not be possible. However, both languages will be official languages in Lefkosia.

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