CYPRUS: GREEK AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS LIVE PEACEFULLY TOGETHER

(17 Aug 1996) Greek/Nat
Some 30 Turkish Cypriots who went to live in Greek Cyprus after the Turkish invasion of 1974 are living peacefully side-by-side with their Greek Cypriot neighbours.
Despite the recent violence and tensions between the Greeks and the Turks, Greek Cypriots in the small village of Potamia, near Nicosia, say they feel protective of their Turkish friends.
This is the village of Potamia, 25 kilometres (16 miles) west of the Cypriot capital of Nicosia.
Despite recent tensions between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, the two communities live here side-by-side without any problems.
Locals from both nationalities meet in the village cafes to drink coffee and play cards together.
Some 30 Turkish Cypriots went to live in Greek Cyprus after the Turkish invasion of 1974.
One Turkish Cypriot man, Necati Mehmed, has lived in this part of Cyprus for four years.
His son got married in a Greek Orthodox Church - an event rarely heard of.
He believes life in the southern part of the island is better than in the north.
SOUNDBITE: (Greek)
"After the invasion we were forced to go to the Turkish northern section of the island. I regretted it and returned here four years ago."
SUPER CAPTION: Necati Mehmed, Turkish Cypriot
His Greek friend, Andreas Petrou, himself a refugee forced to flee the north, says he has no problem with Turks living in Potamia.
SOUNDBITE: (Greek)
"Now about Necati, not only have I no problem with him or any other Turkish Cypriots who live in Potomia. But in the event of any other brainless people trying to do them harm, we shall stand beside them to protect them and they can count on this. What fault is it of theirs of some other barbarians did what they did? What fault is it of his? If it was his fault it would have been different but I can't see that it is his fault or any other immigrant of any resident here."
SUPER CAPTION: Andreas Petrou, Greek Cypriot
But not all Greek and Turkish Cypriots feel the same.
The two nationalities on the island clashed last week in the U-N buffer zone dividing the Greek and Turkish sides during anti-occupation protests by Greek Cypriots.
Two Greek Cypriots were killed and 50 others - including two United Nations peacekeepers - were wounded by Turkish forces during the protests.
The Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis has called on the international community to exert pressure on Turkey to end its occupation of the northern third of Cyprus.
But in Potamia, ethnic tensions are not an issue.
And if anyone attempts to harm the Turkish Cypriots living here their Greek friends will protect them.
Although Greek and Turkish Cypriots seem happy living together in Potamia, that appears to be unlikely to happen in Cyprus as a whole.
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[@abu_biricik]

Weather seems very hot. I miss the summer.

[@constantiniasmith4231]

Britain: *no*

[@aristodemou32]

Mbravo mastre!

[@gagansandhu4112]

Is this Potamia?? No Man Potamia look like a Modern village. I lived there 3 years

[@semprefidelis76]

Year 2019. There will probably be a Mars colony in next 30 years. Why can`t Greek and Turkish Cypriots move closer to each other? I am Turkish, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots are the nicest people on Earth. If you remove religion and language, they are so similar to each other. In cact, Turkish Cypriots are more similar to Greek Cypriots than Turkey`s Turks. Actually many Cypriots I know use many Greek words in their daily life. It is like two siblings not getting along. There is history and all that..but there is also a bond! Use it to your advantage. I can`t believe this...

[@baturbatu6027]

Salak seni.... Rum belasından anne babanın, dede ninenin kurtulduğu yetmedi mi? Ne acılar çekildi bu namussuzlarin elinden... akillanmayacak mısın

[@semprefidelis76]

@@baturbatu6027 sensin o salak

[@tasspafitis848]

I actually think that just the people both Greek & Turkish Cypriots can always live together without the Politics & agendas inside or outside from other powers abroad , All normal people or citizens that are just farmers & etc have families to raise and with no aggressive agenda with just the desire to have a decent life and live in peace with each other for the benefit of both communities and the Island they share .

[@Golifa]

People of bot nationalities? What there is only the nationality of cypriots, we are not turkish or greek nationals we are cypriot gusbo

[@turkishcomando]

ask the turkish cypriot villagers who were living side by side with their greek neighbours until the greek cyps decided to bury the turkish cyps alive long live turkish army peace in cyprus since 1974

[@hyperquantum3020]

TurkishCommando who tell u this sick propaganda?

[@steliosgerasimou5689]

TurkishCommando you stole Cypriot houses!! ORIGINAL cypriots and you are in the wrong way and you are not ashamed .. that's a shame!!!! you are all foreigners and settlers and you have come to live in my stolen MY hometown in Cyprus! I am original Cypriot and I am suffering! you do not! just steal!

[@OrthodoxosOrthodoxou]

shut up mongol

[@Niko-pc2li]

TurkishCommando lmao how about you tell us about the 1.5 million Greeks slaughtered in the 1920’s and the 1 million that were deported from their lands which you stole

[@user-bv1wl8jf8q]

Fuck off we didnt kill any Turks.

[@steliosgerasimou5689]

you stole Cypriot houses!! ORIGINAL cypriots and you are in the wrong way and you are not ashamed .. that's a shame!!!! you are all foreigners and settlers and you have come to live in my stolen MY hometown in Cyprus! I am original Cypriot and I am suffering! you do not! just steal!

[@GiorgosCY]

We don't "forget" it. We're simply never taught it ;)

[@Arsenali28]

Stelios. The turks stole your land in 1570. Not 1974. In 1974 your loser from from greece called SAMPSON (enosis,eoka) tried to make cyprus part of greece. Lot of greek and turkish cypriots were against this. In return he nearly lost whole of cyprus. If it wasnt for usa and uk then you would not be there now. I blame the ottomans for allowing you to still resident in cyprus after the ottoman empire. So wake up as its been 500 years. Look at history when you have time.

[@elgee6202]

I blame the Ottoman Empire for existing.

[@nicholaserotokritou1644]

I can’t believe we are still indulging in this petty hatred! We the people (Turkish and Greek) should be moving forward together. Every Greek I know has Turkish people in their lives that they love and I’m positive it works both ways. Is it really that hard for us to get along!

[@elgee6202]

@@nicholaserotokritou1644, the dispute isn't about "getting along"; it's about territory. Almost every war in the history of mankind, from primitive tribes raiding and pillaging one another to modern advanced states dropping bombs on one another, is about territory. It will always be thus, because man is by nature territorial.

[@markosliassis6972]

Roufianoi

[@gl8218]

The term Turkish-Cypriot is not valid. You are either Turkish or Cypriot. Please!

[@ahmetmetay8471]

The term Greek-Cypriot is not valid.You are either Greek or Cypriot.This is what it sounds like."pLeaSe!"

[@gl8218]

@@ahmetmetay8471 Cypriots are Greeks. Helloooooo!

[@ahmetmetay8471]

@@gl8218 How come?

[@gl8218]

@@ahmetmetay8471 This question shows everything about the education you had. If any.

[@ahmetmetay8471]

@@gl8218 This answer shows that u had to accept the fact that we are also cypriots.