Time to set aside our differences

Sir,
The time has come for both Greek and Turkish communities to put aside their historical differences and get into the business of constructive reconciliation.

Both communities should drop the Greek and Turkish and simply call themselves Cypriots and have no allegiance to either Greece or Turkey. Cyprus needs a new national anthem and a new flag with out the colours of blue or red. A green and gold flag would be considered neutral.
Cyprus needs to look at Belgium and Switzerland as good examples to follow. The Belgians speak Dutch and French, but do not consider themselves Dutch or French. The Swiss speak German, French and Italian and do not consider themselves anything other than Swiss. Does it really make any difference of whether a future Cypriot president speaks Turkish or Greek as his first language?

Cyprus is a multilingual country with three official languages. All Cypriots should have one nationality and all be working for the common good of the country.

Let us all start by leaving Greece,Turkey and Britain aside and let us call upon all community leaders on the island in talking of national unity and of one Cypriot nationality for all. Unless both communities change their entrenched positions this problem of division will go on for ever.
Simon Salaras, Melbourne, Australia

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.