Majority of Turkish Cypriots ‘want a solution’

Three in five people in the north want a solution to the Cyprus problem, a survey conducted by the migration, identity and rights studies centre (CMIRS) in September found.

The survey indicated that 59.06 per cent of the 500 people asked said they wanted a solution, as opposed to 40.94 per cent who said they didn’t.

The Cyprus problem was found to be the second most important issue for the Turkish Cypriots, whose optimism had declined due to the long hiatus in talks for a solution, Turkey’s interventions, the change in the Turkish Cypriot leadership and the failure of UN efforts to yield results.

Only 36.94 per cent felt optimistic about the prospect of achieving a solution, with 49.8 per cent not at all optimistic.

Asked how they would vote in a referendum, 31.17 per cent said they would definitely vote ‘no’, 8.3 per cent probably ‘no’, 24.29 per cent probably ‘yes’, 30.16 per cent definitely ‘yes’ and 6.07 per cent ‘not sure’.