(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The number of people in Greek Cyprus who think it is possible to live together with Turkish Cypriots has increased over the past two years, according to a poll by Evresis released by Ant1. 59.1 per cent of respondents share this opinion, up 9.1 points since May 2006.

Relations between the Greek majority and the Turkish minority in Cyprus have been frayed since 1974, when a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey. In the skirmish, the Turks gained control of almost two-fifths of the island, which in 1983 declared itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Turkish government has never acknowledged the Greek Cypriot administration. More than 30,000 Turkish soldiers occupy the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The Annan plan, which called for a federation of two states—one Greek and the other Turkish—with a loose central government, was rejected by Greek Cypriot voters in an April 2005 island-wide referendum.

A presidential election in Greek Cyprus is scheduled to take place on Feb. 17. The three main contenders are incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos, Dimitris Christofias of the left-wing Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL), and Ioannis Kasoulides of the Democratic Rally (DISY).

In 2004, Papadopoulos rejected a re-unification proposal put forward by the United Nations (UN). On Jan. 18, the Cypriot president said he is confident he will secure another term in office next month, and declared: "We will continue to seek, without concessions, the solution we deserve."

Earlier this month, Kassoulides claimed Papadopoulos’ administration has isolated Cyprus, and stated: "We want to move forward, we don’t want to remain stuck in the deadlock of the past five years."

Polling Data

Do you think Greek Cypriots can live together with Turkish Cypriots?

Source: Evresis / Ant1
Methodology: Interviews with 1,518 Greek Cyprus adults, conducted in December 2007 and January 2008. No margin of error was provided.

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