The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) yesterday endorsed a friendly settlement reached between Greek Cypriot Andromachi Alexandrou and Turkey, with the latter agreeing to return part of her property in the occupied north along with £1.5m sterling.Alexandrou and two of her children took their cases to the immovable property commission in the north, which provided for the restitution of part of the property and the payment of £1.5m as compensation in lieu of other properties as well as for loss of use.As a result the case filed by Alexandrou before the ECHR against Turkey for violations of her rights concerning her land has been withdrawn.
Attorney-general Petros Clerides said yesterday the ECHR decision did not mean recognition of the ‘property commission’ as the court made no judgement on “its legality or effectiveness”. It simply ratified the settlement with Turkey after concluding that none of Alexandrou’s rights were being violated and “since she accepted this compromise”. “This is Turkey trying to show that it returns properties back to their owners, something which it has not done so far,” he said. He highlighted that only part of Alexandrou’s land would be returned to her, not all, while there were no indications that she would have the right to go and live in her property or use it as she wishes. He also noted that there are still hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots who have lost their properties and have not had their rights restored. “It doesn’t mean because part of her land is returned, the ‘commission’ is legal or effective,” he added.
The Cyprus Mail reports that former Attorney-general Alecos Markides said the case was nothing new but a repeat of last year’s case involving Greek Cypriot refugee Mike Tymvios, who also reached a friendly settlement with Turkey regarding his land in the north, saying there was no question of recognition of the ‘commission’ since the Court was simply asked by the plaintiff to withdraw her case against Turkey.
A ceremony was held last week commemorating ten “unsung heroes” of Cyprus t for acts of courage and humanity in times of war. The idea for the ceremony was conceived by Sevgul Uludag, a Turkish Cypriot journalist known for her work on the issue of those missing since 1974. It was organised by the Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus, along with around 20 other organisations and activists, among them the Cyprus Green Party and Hands Across the Divide and held at the Municipal Information Centre on Nicosia’s Green Line.
Four Turkish Cypriots and six Greek Cypriots were honoured for having saved and protected members of the ‘other side’ during the inter-communal conflicts of the 50s and 60s, and the invasion of 1974.In an emotional celebration commemorative plaques and olive branches were presented to the men, in some cases by those whom they had saved. Their stories were heard through firsthand accounts or through the testimony of their families. In several cases, those involved were still classified as ‘missing’.
In an interview in the Cyprus Mail yesterday Sevgul Uludag, who has dedicated the last eight years of her life to investigating the cases of those still ‘missing’ from the conflicts, from both sides, says "When I started talking about it, it was like an earthquake in our community,” she said. “There was just this enormous flow of words, the relief of being able to speak about it.”
Stories of barbarity poured down the hotline she had set up; stories of rape, murder, massacre, and betrayal. Every now and again, though, she was told a story that was not about pain; a story that was rather about the triumph of humanity over animalism, a story of bravery and pathos.
“Unless we have a common understanding of the past, how can we have a common vision?” asked Uludag.
Events like these hinge around the idea that “common pain can be used as a catalyst for peace.” In this case, there was more than pain uniting the two sides though; there was hope, courage and humanity.
Although ten men were honoured, Uludag assured there were many more. Some do not want to be named, for fear of retaliation from their neighbours, even after all these years. Some will not be named by the ones they saved, because the latter do not want to admit they owe their life to an official enemy. Some people's stories will be lost forever because everyone involved in them perished.
As Phaedon Vassiliades, of Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus expressed it during the ceremonyt, people gathered to say “a very big «Efharisto» or «Teshekkurler» to those who, with courage and humanity, saved not only human lives but human values and the hope for future peace.”
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Speculation and rumours
Turkey wants talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus to conclude soon and a referendum by the end of 2009, President Abdullah Gul told a news conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on Monday, Cyprus' Financial Mirror reported yesterday.
"We want the negotiations to be concluded speedily. If possible, we want to see (the result of the negotiations) submitted to the public through a referendum by the end of this year," Gul said.
Talat said there was progress in some areas in negotiations with the Greek Cypriots, while some others remain difficult to solve.
Yeni Duzen newspaper under the headline “Summit for Guarantees in Ankara”, writes that Talat went to Ankara in order to discuss the issue of guarantees.
Under no circumstance whatsoever, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees," Asked to comment on reports in the Turkish Cypriot press on the issue of guarantees, he said: "I have not made any alternative proposals for the continuation of guarantees. Our position is that Cyprus does not need guarantees. The Cypriot people are mature; they have suffered a lot as a result of the guarantor powers, although I am not suggesting that Cypriots or some Cypriots do not bear any responsibility. Nevertheless, under no circumstance whatsoever, as people have suffered so much, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees. This is our position, we expressed and supported it in public and at the negotiating table and the negotiation process continues ".
Meanwhile, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, commenting on information that the "give and take" process is expected to start very soon, said: "We are still at the first stage, what we call the first reading. We have to finish this and then we will see" . He acknowledged that speculation and rumours as to when the "give and take" process will start and when the referenda will take place existed and were bound to continue, but added that certainly the time factor was important because the passing of time consolidates the occupation. He stressed that "what is important is the quality of the solution and that we want to achieve and a solution the soonest possible, which will solve the problems created in 1974, a solution that will heal the wounds and offer the possibility to all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins handling our fate to also construct our future, without giving the opportunity to foreigners to intervene in our country’s internal affairs".
He noted that "we have suffered enough from interventions as well from imposed solutions". "The process is Cypriot, we will decide on how to proceed and the aim is to reach a mutually acceptable solution, which will be submitted at simultaneous and separate referenda. We need to repeat this again and again in order to remind some people that we have an agreed process and that it is not others who will decide on how we will proceed".
Moreover, invited to comment on reports that the EU was discussing the possibility of imposing a Taiwan-type solution in Cyprus in case of failure at the direct talks for a Cyprus settlement, the Spokesman said: "We have one goal, the solution of the Cyprus problem because without a solution the danger of perpetuating division is evident. Consequently, there is one goal and one mission, namely the just, viable and functional settlement of the Cyprus problem. While the problem remains unresolved the dangers which the President of the Republic has described as ‘deadly’ are there and therefore we should not rest and wait for others to determine our own future".
Asked to comment on information that President Christofias had warned Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat that no settlement would be reached if occupied Morphou was not returned, Mr Stefanou stated: "Whatever we have to say we say it boldly at the negotiating table, aiming always to help reach a solution of the Cyprus problem. Mr Talat is making various statements and many things are being said publicly, but we have said it and we remain consistent: we do not negotiate publicly as this would be counterproductive and not helpful to the goal of reaching a settlement; we say what we have to say at the negotiating table".
"We want the negotiations to be concluded speedily. If possible, we want to see (the result of the negotiations) submitted to the public through a referendum by the end of this year," Gul said.
Talat said there was progress in some areas in negotiations with the Greek Cypriots, while some others remain difficult to solve.
Yeni Duzen newspaper under the headline “Summit for Guarantees in Ankara”, writes that Talat went to Ankara in order to discuss the issue of guarantees.
Under no circumstance whatsoever, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees," Asked to comment on reports in the Turkish Cypriot press on the issue of guarantees, he said: "I have not made any alternative proposals for the continuation of guarantees. Our position is that Cyprus does not need guarantees. The Cypriot people are mature; they have suffered a lot as a result of the guarantor powers, although I am not suggesting that Cypriots or some Cypriots do not bear any responsibility. Nevertheless, under no circumstance whatsoever, as people have suffered so much, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees. This is our position, we expressed and supported it in public and at the negotiating table and the negotiation process continues ".
Meanwhile, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, commenting on information that the "give and take" process is expected to start very soon, said: "We are still at the first stage, what we call the first reading. We have to finish this and then we will see" . He acknowledged that speculation and rumours as to when the "give and take" process will start and when the referenda will take place existed and were bound to continue, but added that certainly the time factor was important because the passing of time consolidates the occupation. He stressed that "what is important is the quality of the solution and that we want to achieve and a solution the soonest possible, which will solve the problems created in 1974, a solution that will heal the wounds and offer the possibility to all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins handling our fate to also construct our future, without giving the opportunity to foreigners to intervene in our country’s internal affairs".
He noted that "we have suffered enough from interventions as well from imposed solutions". "The process is Cypriot, we will decide on how to proceed and the aim is to reach a mutually acceptable solution, which will be submitted at simultaneous and separate referenda. We need to repeat this again and again in order to remind some people that we have an agreed process and that it is not others who will decide on how we will proceed".
Moreover, invited to comment on reports that the EU was discussing the possibility of imposing a Taiwan-type solution in Cyprus in case of failure at the direct talks for a Cyprus settlement, the Spokesman said: "We have one goal, the solution of the Cyprus problem because without a solution the danger of perpetuating division is evident. Consequently, there is one goal and one mission, namely the just, viable and functional settlement of the Cyprus problem. While the problem remains unresolved the dangers which the President of the Republic has described as ‘deadly’ are there and therefore we should not rest and wait for others to determine our own future".
Asked to comment on information that President Christofias had warned Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat that no settlement would be reached if occupied Morphou was not returned, Mr Stefanou stated: "Whatever we have to say we say it boldly at the negotiating table, aiming always to help reach a solution of the Cyprus problem. Mr Talat is making various statements and many things are being said publicly, but we have said it and we remain consistent: we do not negotiate publicly as this would be counterproductive and not helpful to the goal of reaching a settlement; we say what we have to say at the negotiating table".
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