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Trikomo is a town in Cyprus. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus and is the administrative center of the Iskele District of Northern Cyprus, which mainly extends into the Karpas Peninsula , while de jure it belongs to the Famagusta District of the Republic of Cyprus . It gained municipality status in 1998. Before 1974 Trikomo was a mixed village with a Greek Cypriot majority.
In 2011 Trikomo had 1948 inhabitants.
Trikomo is located in the north-eastern part of the Messaria plain , 9 km south of the village of Ardana , about two kilometers from the Bay of Famagusta and four kilometers north-west of the village of Sygkrasi .
In Greek Trikomo means "three houses". In 1975 the Turkish Cypriots renamed it Yeni İskele to commemorate the origins of the town's current inhabitants. In Larnaca before 1974 Turkish Cypriots resided in the neighborhood called Skala ("İskele" in Turkish), so that when they settled in the village they renamed it with the same name (lit. "new İskele", later shortened to İskele ). Yeni means "new", so Yeni İskele literally means "New Scale/İskele".
Before the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus , the population of Trikomo consisted almost entirely of Greek Cypriots , most of whom fled during the conflict while the rest were subsequently deported to the south. Among these, worthy of mention is Georgios Grivas (1898-1974), general of the Greek army , leader of the guerrilla organization EOKA, protagonist of the liberation struggle against the English and of the paramilitary organization EOKA B.
The Turkish Cypriot municipality of Larnaca which had been established in 1958 moved to Trikomo in 1974, soon after the Turkish invasion of the island .
In Trikomo is the Church of the Panagia Theotokos , deconsecrated and home to an icon museum displaying rare examples of medieval iconography in Cyprus. The church is divided into two sections, one Orthodox and one Catholic. The first is the oldest, dating back to the Byzantine era , while the second was built in the 12th century, during the period in which the island was ruled by the Lusignans
Before 1974 Trikomo was a mixed village with a Greek Cypriot majority. In the 1831 Ottoman census, Muslims made up approximately 18.4% of the population. However, by 1891 this percentage dropped significantly to 3.4%. In the first half of the 20th century the population of the village increased steadily, from 1,247 inhabitants in 1901 to 2,195 in 1960.
Most of Trikomo's Greek Cypriots were displaced in August 1974, although some remained in the town after the Turkish army took control. In October 1975 there were still 92 Greek Cypriots in the city, but in 1978 they were moved to the south side of the Green Line . Currently, like the rest of the displaced Greek Cypriots, Trikomo Greek Cypriots are scattered across the south of the island, especially in the cities. The number of Greek Cypriots from Trikomo displaced in 1974-78 was approximately 2,330 (2,323 in the 1960 census).
Today the village is inhabited mainly by displaced Turkish Cypriots from the south of the island, especially from the city of Larnaca and its district . In 1976-77, some families from Turkey, especially from the province of Adana , also settled in the village . Since the 2000s, many wealthy Europeans, Turks and Turkish Cypriots from other areas of the north of the island (including returnees from abroad) have purchased properties, built houses and settled in the vicinity of the city. According to the 2006 Turkish Cypriot census, the population of Trikomo/İskele was 3,657.
The city annually hosts the Iskele Festival , which takes place for ten days in summer, and is the oldest annual festival in Cyprus, having first been held in Larnaca in 1968. In 1974, the event was moved to Trikomo together to the Turkish Cypriot inhabitants of Larnaca who had moved there. The program includes an international folk dance festival, concerts by Turkish Cypriot and mainland Turkish musicians, various sports tournaments, stalls offering food and various competitions, along with other performances and competitions highlighting the city's cultural heritage.
The current mayor of the city is Hasan Sadıkoğlu, who was first elected in 2014 as an independent candidate. It was re-elected in 2018 as the candidate of the right-wing National Unity Party (UBP), winning with 54.6% of the vote. In the 2018 local elections, four members of the UBP, two members of the pro-settler Renaissance Party (YDP), and two members of the left-wing Turkish Republican Party (CTP) were elected to the eight-member city council .
Trikomo is twinned with:
Flag of Türkiye Beykoz, Istanbul
Flag of Türkiye Büyükçekmece, Istanbul
Flag of Türkiye Finike, Antalya , since 2015
Flag of Türkiye Mamak, Ankara
Flag of Türkiye Pendik, Istanbul
Flag of Türkiye Samsung , since 2006
Turkish Cypriot sports club Larnaka Gençler Birliği (also called İskele Gençlerbirliği ) was founded in 1934 in Larnaca, and was playing in the Süper Lig of the Northern Cyprus Football Federation in the 2018–19 season
Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.
Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.
A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.
Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.
Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.
Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.
The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.
Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.
Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.
By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.
EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.
However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.
On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.
In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.
By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.
In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.
The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.
After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".
As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.
Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.
The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.
Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.
The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.
Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.
Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria
An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."
In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.
Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.
In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.
Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.
Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.
Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:
UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.
The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.
By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."
After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.
On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.
The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.
During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.
In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.
Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.
A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.
Finally some Fashion stuff!
Strobist:
x1600 camera right in octobox as key
x1600 camera left behind model for highlights
Zues Ringmaster for Fill
Prompt: A realistic and whimsical scene of a white West Highland Terrier (Westie) dressed as a professional chef, standing in a modern, stainless-steel commercial kitchen. The dog wears a traditional white chef’s uniform and a tall chef’s hat, looking focused and serious as it uses a spoon to plate a gourmet dish of vegetable fried rice. The background shows a clean, upscale kitchen with metal surfaces, stovetops, and utensils. Bright, professional lighting enhances the details and realism of the scene, capturing a playful yet high-quality culinary atmosphere. The image should be photo-realistic with sharp focus and high detail, blending humor and sophistication.
This digital fine art was created using OpenAI Sora AI and Photoshop
Chassis n° 117
The Dr. Peter and Ulrike Bühner collection of important pioneer and collectors' motorcycles and motor cars
Bonhams
Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris
The Grand Palais Éphémère
Place Joffre
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2023
Sold for € 108.333,34
Producers of (mainly) industrial sewing machines, the Dürkopp company still exists today as Dürkopp-Adler. Dürkopp's origins date back to 1867 when Nikolaus Dürkopp started his sewing machine business in the German city of Bielefeld, a centre for bicycle manufacture. Dürkopp owned another plant in Graz, Austria, and in the 1880s both factories began producing bicycles to meet the Europe-wide boom in this form of transportation. The firm's first automobile followed in 1898. Constructed along Panhard lines, these first Dürkopps featured front-mounted vertical twin-cylinder engines, final drive by chains, and wheels of unequal size. A much smaller car with a rear-mounted engine was on offer in 1899, featuring tandem seating and wire wheels. Motorcycle production commenced around 1901. Dürkopp's range expanded and by 1903 consisted of some five models ranging from an 8PS twin to a 40PS four, while a six-cylinder car was shown for the first time that year. In Britain the importer F Watson marketed Dürkopps under the 'Watsonia' brand name.
By 1914 Dürkopp had produced a succession of large-capacity fours, the ultimate being the 13-litre Type DG of 1912, but these sold in limited numbers, prompting the introduction of new smaller models known as the 'Knipperdolling' range.
After WWI, the firm concentrated mainly on medium-size cars of around 2 litres, plus a small number of larger types. Production of cars ceased in 1927 but commercial chassis continued to be available for a few more years. Production of motorcycles had ceased in 1914 and would not resume until 1949, Dürkopp's most famous product of the post-war period being the immensely successful Diana scooter.
This rare early Dürkopp automobile has been part of the Bühner Collection since 2002, having previously formed part of a private collection in its native Bielefeld, where it was also on loan for a period of time to the local history Museum. It is believed that before then the car had survived many years of barn storage, and numerous photographs attest to its remarkably original condition prior to its sympathetic restoration. The car even comes with a copy of its original Bielefeld registration from 1902, with the number 'X530'.
While in the custody of Peter and Ulrike Bühner the car participated successfully in many events, among them the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in 2004, 2007 and 2008 (programmes on file). It is believed that only one other Dürkopp from 1901 survives.
Prompt: A romantic and emotional scene showing a young couple standing together under a soft, glowing sunset, with the woman gently holding the man's hand. The atmosphere is filled with warmth and love, with vibrant colors of orange, pink, and purple filling the sky. The couple is surrounded by nature, with blooming flowers and soft grass beneath their feet, symbolizing beauty and peace. The overall scene has a dreamy, magical feel, capturing the essence of love and connection. Ultra-realistic textures, soft lighting, warm tones. --ar 11:14 --personalize bxqiizh --v 6.1
Prompt: Close-up, A serene pastoral scene in the artistic style of Gerrit Dou, oil art, high resolution, detailed textures, lighting from a window illuminating a rustic interior of an old rustic barn with wooden beams, two black and white cows, old man with a beard and hat, traditional clothing, a lantern hanging from a beam, a wooden milk pail, soft shadows, high contrast, earthy tones, peaceful ambiance, nostalgic vintage feel, circa 1700s, --ar 1:1 --sref s.mj.run/jlykWSc2pKw --sw 15 --v 6.1
digital fine art created using Midjourney AI v 6.1
Prompt: Ultra-realistic digital fine art of an anthropomorphic West Highland White Terrier (Westie) competing in Olympic ski jumping at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The Westie has expressive, intelligent eyes and realistic white fur subtly ruffled by wind, wearing Team U.S.A. Olympic ski-jumping attire (red, white, and blue aerodynamic suit, helmet, goggles, skis).
The dog is captured mid-flight after takeoff, perfectly balanced with professional ski-jumping form, soaring high above the snowy Olympic jump, conveying speed and grace at 100 km/h. Below, a modern alpine stadium filled with spectators, snow-covered mountains, dramatic winter sky, cinematic lighting.
A visible sign near the jump clearly reads: ‘Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics’.
Hyper-detailed fur texture, realistic fabric physics, motion blur on skis, crisp focus on the Westie, shallow depth of field, HDR lighting, photorealistic style, vertical composition (9:16), 8K detail, epic sports photography aesthetic.
This digital fine art was created using OpenAI Sora AI and Photoshop
Prompt: 3 hibiscus flowers, 2 butterflies, tropical foliage, white background, grey scale, pencil art, white background, realistic::3 --ar 8:11 --v 6.0
Prompted by Angela's lunch with a view photo..... no lunch though... must have eaten befoe we started!
Variation of a text-prompt generation in AI Deep Dream. The text contained the words SHIP OF FOOLS, WOODS and GIGER.
The option of Text Prompt is a new feature on Deep Dream.
Stories from the machinists tales of the ship of fools. The stranded survivors live in the woods on a remote island.
A surprising result with the use of one of my small drawings as a image prompt, and some nonsense text. Modifiers were chosen from my surreal background and artists I like.
The seed image used was my 1992 drawing of the same name, posted here: flic.kr/p/2nZYpkS
All the way from North Wales to see Liverpool lose to Brighton this afternoon, 29th January, 2023. Prompt Travel Mercedes Benz Sprinter P700 MPT was originally registered KP56 TGN.
Prompt: a Beautiful tall ship on the high seas, full sail, at sunset, sea mist spray, high definition, high detail, 8k, high resolution, --ar 11:14 --profile 1hetwuw
digital fine art created using Midjourney AI v 6.1 and Photoshop
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
The cover of my book.
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5.Desire
As an initial disclaimer for this piece, the heart that I used is an animal heart that I got from a biological classroom supply company. It was part of some sort of a classroom dissection kit, and I wanted to use it to really communicate this concept effectively.
For this prompt I not only defined desire, but also illustrated the ramifications of desire. In actuality desire has a very open definition, and when looking through the definitions given for desire in the dictionary, I felt that they were so rigid that they were almost untrue. Desire really has no rigid definition, it's not entirely a verb or a noun, nor is it purely an emotion or an object. Desire is so complex that it cannot be labeled in one way. So for this prompt I have created a book with photos to illustrate a less rigid, yet still defined definition of the basic similarities of most examples of desire, and the ramifications of desire. I chose to specifically concentrate more on the emotional aspects of desire, viewed in a slightly humanized way. My book is designed to also illustrate the ramifications of each aspect of desire, while the poem defines it. I also chose to make the cover text reflective and almost reminiscent of a mirror to depict how personal definitions of desire reflect upon the individual.
Specifically the first page is intended to illustrate how desire will consume you, and the very serious results of this. I felt the heart was fitting because in both a very trite and a more serious symbology, it depicts giving up your life, which is the emotional aftermath of when desire consumes and creates "reaping feelings" as I said. I felt this part of my definition had the most serious ramifications, so therefore the photo used to illustrate it needed to be equally serious to depict and communicate this accurately. The second page is intended to depict how desire leaves us with humanized ideas of actuality, and the conclusion of this is that we are left somewhat isolated with a distorted vision of events. The third page is intended to follow this same concept in that desire makes us break apart our visions of events to create objective pasts. It is actually proven by many scientific experiments that our memory is mostly made up of small series that we continue to tell ourselves, and I feel that desire is a factor that changes how we choose to remember things. The result of this is a distorted view of the past, which can constantly change us. The fourth page is intended to depict how desire is really just a series of lies that we create, which will leave aspects of our lives empty. This creates an empty and isolated life, which is depicted by the symbolism of blood for life, used in a scene that represents isolation. I also feel that it depicts the rituals that a vapid lifestyle creates. For my last page I wanted to define what desire is confined by, which is the "cage" humanity lives in. This metaphorical cage is defined by both social aspects and mortality, which are essentially most of what also creates and confines desire. This creates the reality that whether we embrace or resent desire we are all bound by the same fragility. So to depict this I wanted to illustrate it somewhat literally, while also alluding back to my concept on the first page.
Prompt: lion with golden fur and mane charging forward with an ancient roman warrior riding on its back wearing a red cape, golden armor and a roman trojan helmet on his head. The scene captures the essence of strength and power as they go into battle together. The background should be bright, with orange and yellow firelight shining through the grey smoke in the distant background. A front facing view. Hyper-realistic style, high resolution, very detailed, dynamic composition, hyper-detailed, soft focus, no grain, digital art, and cinematic lighting. A full-body portrait, concept art in the style of Greg Rutkowski. --ar 3:4 --profile ub2fpfn --v 6.1
create using Midjourney AI v 6.1
Prompt: Blank's Adventures in Blank; Couldn't kick the Alice impression from the prompt - it's been quite a year - down 65 lbs and holding steady
So yah I just wanted to say that before you judge this, it looks like 10x better in person. Sorry again for how terrible all these images of my home test are...
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2. A blacklisted self-portrait.
My concept for this piece is that blacklisting is like a bruise that never fades. It's a wound that never heals, and causes tremors and terror every day. It leaves you as a dissected shadow; it can take your life, or define your life. This piece is meant to depict the effects blacklisting causes, and the aftermath of blacklisting. From both historical and personal examples I can say this is true. Historically, blacklisting such as the McCarthy trials changed everything, although part of that terror was debatably partially created by the Cold War, since it was because of the Cold War that Communism was considered to be such terrible thing and an insult. However, my point is that the blacklisting that came with McCarthyism created a terror amongst society that to this day still somewhat exists. It's really because of blacklisting that we feel the need to hide aspects of ourselves to fit the norms of society. This is very personal to me because during my freshmen year of high school, I was socially blacklisted by friends who I thought I could rely on. It was actually so bad that it was part of why I chose to switch schools. It was partially in school but mostly cyber, which in some ways made it worse. Even though what I experienced is noting close to McCarthyism blacklisting, it still allows me to understand mildly what it is like. For me the terror it created was the worst part. I didn't know who was my friend and who wasn't, I couldn't trust anyone, and worst of all I felt the need to hide myself. Even after I switched schools it never really went away, and it was kind of like a bruise to me because whenever I touched at it, it still hurt. This is all represented in my self portrait obviously by the bruise, but also by the dispersion I have created, and my color choice. I created this effect to depict a sense of self rupture that blacklisting creates in one's life, and also how the true aspects of self begin to fade away and hide. I specifically chose a muted, and darker color pallet to reference bruising, and also to create a somewhat cold, translucent, and almost shallow feeling of self that is formed from blacklisting. My main stylistic influence for this was the work of Anthony Goicolea, specifically his portraits from his 2007 drawing work.
These are the words I'll be using for my February photos.
There's a doll a day group, please feel free to join, even if you're only starting this month :D
Prompt: A beautiful deer full body right sed profile artistic painting with sunset background in a purple petunia garden --ar 11:8 --p m3lgrn9 --v 6.0
This young Opossum wandered into the backyard Friday very early in the evening. Not much bigger than my foot it was obvious from the beginning that there was something...wrong.
My wife and I agreed that it looked drunk. Unsteady to the point it fell over multiple times, wandering, circling, paying us no attention at all even when we deliberately made unnecessary noise. It's head was moving erratically and at odd angles.
At this point our concern was of course rabies. It's actions certainly ticked some of those boxes, however there was no drooling, no growling or agitated behavior. No noise at all in fact. No self mutilation. No obvious signs of any injury either. It found fallen seed on the ground from the feeder and ate without hurry.
When it tottered of towards an area of the garden covered with a net, already concerned and now worried about entanglement, we decided to gather it up carefully and place it in a cage we had handy and kept it safe until we could contact the right people in the morning.
Saturday morning found it "asleep" in the cage. We left a message with the Toronto Wildlife Centre (torontowildlifecentre.com) who replied promptly. After hearing our description they believed it could have a neurological condition from a possible earlier head injury. It was dropped off into their care later that day for further evaluation and care.
a bit of a different one from me tonight....no paints, no inks, in fact no colour at all, shock! :)
inspired by the prompt "cut out" on this week's list ..... I now have a sore wrist and a blunt xacto blade, but 'tis purty so all worth it.....
Crowley's all bundled up against the cold, and it seems Aziraphale has even got him a 'stylish' tartan muffler.
pretty sure Aziraphale is actually wearing leggings... influenced by Crowley's colours.
Prompt:
Artwork of a pink flamingo, surrounded by pink and purple flowers, soft lighting, detailed feathers, realistic style BREAK digital art, photorealistic animal portrait, nature photography BREAK professional artwork, detailed rendering BREAK 8k uhd, sharp focus, high quality, trending on artstation, award winning
Created in DALL-E 3.
Prompt was: "Acrylic painting in the style of Kelly Freas, vivid colors. A creative interpretation selfie of the DALL-E 3 artificial intelligence platform hosted on Bing.com; half-tone dithering"
See more here: www.youtube.com/@journeymanplayer7459
It wasn't cold so I did a little outside sketching - I enjoyed controlling the amount of texture in ink - it enabled me to explore tone and texture in watercolour.
Prompt: Iridescent silk texture, a fusion of Klimt's style with Asian beauty, watercolour and ink in imperial colours with gold foil accents, Art Deco influence by Enki Bilal, Annigoni, Egon Schiele, Milo Manara, and Botticelli, flawless eyes and hands, intricate detailing, dynamic pose, splatter elements, dark tones backdrop, perfect fusion of elegance and vibrancy. An ethereal beautiful young woman with long, flowing auburn hair adorned with pink roses, gazes softly toward the viewer. She is dressed in a flowing, elegant gown with intricate golden details around the neckline. Behind her, a circular halo glows softly, surrounded by a starry night sky. The composition features lush, delicate roses in the foreground, adding a touch of romance to the serene expression on her face. The enchanting mood is ethereal and dreamy, combining elements of beauty and nature.
Modifiers: bokeh digital painting elegant Award winning photography fantasy intricate very attractive fantastic view cinematic postprocessing dreamy moody nostalgic Minimalist Atmospheric melancholy Ethereal Bokeh blurred image romantic ambience @EmmAI pure white light elegant digital painting intricate fantasy digital painting very attractive fantasy fantasy intricate
by Bing AI Generator
Prompt: create a digital fine art illustration of an elderly couple seated together on a weathered wooden bench on a quiet beach, viewed from a gentle side-back angle, gazing out toward the open ocean. Preserve the couple’s age, body language, clothing style, and calm, affectionate mood, with soft coastal light, muted pastel tones, hand-drawn ink outlines, and painterly shading. Add a West Highland White Terrier sitting close beside the couple, small, fluffy white coat, relaxed posture, looking toward the sea with them; integrate the dog naturally in scale, lighting, and perspective with no cutout edges. Keep the shoreline, waves, seabirds in the sky, and distant landforms consistent with the original composition. Include elegant, readable typography with the exact text “Growing Old Together” placed tastefully in the sky or upper negative space, harmonized with the art style (no logos or extra text). Maintain a serene, nostalgic fine-art aesthetic, natural colors, and soft contrast. Output one finished image in a horizontal aspect ratio, preserving overall composition and realism at close inspection.
This digital fine art was created using OpenAI Sora AI and Photoshop
When bus enthusiasts visit Edinburgh for a day trip or a holiday break they usually like to capture a variety of different vehicular stock so naturally they are to be seen in the Capital's main thoroughfare. It's always been the case that most buses pass through Princes Street and that was also the same for the old tram network which ended in 1956.
I call the area between the Mound and Waverley Bridge 'the Beach' and we don't have to wait long to see photographers snapping at the myriad of passing sights, but it can get a little boring seeing photo after photo at the same spot.
It's also not the best street to take pictures as it's east / west facing and so the light conditions are not always favourable during the day with many shadows waiting to spoil our intentions.
Sunny mornings are good to capture buses travelling east and in the afternoon the best places are at the top of Waverley Bridge for west bound vehicles. I also like the ever so slightly North-West facing bus stop at the RSA in summer afternoons which can make for the most perfect conditions.
The new central aisle tram light standards, erected in 2012, make for the most magnificent conditions after dark and even the most limited camera can take excellent photographs in this floodlit ambience.
I tend to limit my visits to Princes Street but it can be a highly exciting place with plenty of activity more or less all the time. If we're needing to see a particular bus it will probably turn up fairly promptly and we usually don't have to wait long to get a fair representation of all of Lothian's stock. Even city residents of the Capital can enjoy pretending to be a happy-snapping tourist here!
And so, here I am once again in the middle of the road (the best place to be in Princes Street) with Volvo B5TL / Wright Gemini 3 number 407 (BN64 CPU) but I'm not going to mention the intermediate screen. If you wish you can write the sentence I would have made and we can continue this chat in the Comments section below!
Follow Lothian's new Volvo B5TL Gemini 3's in my exclusive album, a numerical tour of fleet numbers 401 to 425 at various locations. See every angle, inside and out by clicking on the link in the Comments section below.