Cyprus

Noble Energy’s Cyprus Drilling Beat Expectations, Politis Says

2011-12-22T01:27:00.000+02:00

(Bloomberg) - The results of Noble Energy Inc. (NBL)’s exploratory drilling for oil and gas in Cyprus’s Block 12, which began in September, exceeded expectations, Politis reported today, without saying where it got the information.

The hydrocarbon reserves in Block 12 are comparable to those of Israel’s Leviathan site or larger, the Nicosia-based newspaper said on its website.

Cyprus before historic decisions for its future

2011-12-22T01:15:00.002+02:00

(Famagusta Gazette) - Cyprus will have to take momentous decisions and take bold steps forward, which will potentially mark its course in history and reshape its strategic importance, Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Markoullis said in a speech titled “Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean: Strategic Location, Strategic opportunities” at the Director’s Forum of Woodrow Wilson Center.

Markoullis pointed out that developments in Cyprus will have an effect on its neighbourhood, since Cyprus is now in an unusual position of having greater say in its future, and being in a position to effect change.

“Indeed, a number of important factors appear to be coming together, and if this confluence, this convergence of interests is harnessed properly, the opportunities, for Cyprus, its partners and its neighbours can have enormously positive results”, she said.

Referring to the start of drilling operations by a Republic of Cyprus licensed US company, Noble Energy, within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, in search of natural gas deposits, she said that initial findings have already shown positive results ranging between 3-9 Tcf of natural gas and official estimates are expected by the end of the year.

As regards developments in the discovery of hydrocarbon reservoirs in Israel and Cyprus, she said that they are significant on a number of levels.

“The positive results of the drilling in Israel and the preliminary results in Cyprus prove beyond doubt that the geological surveys and estimates on the presence of large quantities of hydrocarbons in the Levant basin, but also in the area south of Cyprus, have merit”, she said. She added that from an economic point of view the significance is great, since it will imply greater interest by other international companies for the second round of bidding to gain licenses for exploratory drilling in other parts of the Cypriot EEZ, and will also serve as a catalyst for financial investments in Cyprus.

Secondly, she said that once natural gas and possibly also oil are found in quantities and in quality that justifies further investments, this will lead to job creation, something that will also involve directly the economies of Cyprus' neighbours.

Markoullis also said that the momentum that will be created by the sort of investment in infrastructure and financial structures for the servicing of the energy industry, will serve as a catalyst towards greater cooperation among neighbours.

“The possibility of joint exploitation between the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and the launching of joint projects, particularly in areas where the natural gas or petroleum fields fall across the line separating EEZ, not only does exist, but we are promoting this cooperation through Framework Agreements we are currently negotiating with Israel, Egypt and Lebanon concerning the Joint Development and Exploitation of Cross Median Line Hydrocarbons Reservoirs”, she said, adding that this kind of cooperation could become an indispensable tool that has the potential to change the whole political and economic scene of the entire region.

The Cypriot Minister has also expressed the position that hydrocarbon resources in the Eastern Mediterranean will contribute towards greater energy security for Europe.

“As a member state of the EU we have a stake in its success. We believe that potential deposits of hydrocarbons in our Exclusive Economic Zone will benefit Europe, its economy, and by extension its international standing. Therefore, we look forward to cooperating closely with our European partners and linking them to our partners in our immediate neighbourhood, and possibly beyond, in establishing greater energy security, and by extension, broader economic security and stability”, she said.

Referring to bilateral agreements Cyprus has signed with Egypt, Lebanon and Israel for delineating of their Exclusive Economic Zones, she said that these agreements have introduced a new stabilizing dimension to the politics of the region.

The Foreign Minister pointed out that a Cyprus which is a member state of the European Union, a responsible actor within the international system, and which has good and constructive relations with its neighbours can serve as a catalyst for cooperation on the regional level and also offer the necessary platform for greater peace, stability and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Referring to Turkey’s attitude and behaviour towards Cyprus, she said that the start of exploratory drilling in the Cypriot EEZ sparked a tirade of anger on the part of Turkish leaders, at the highest levels. Markoullis explained that the decisions and actions of the Republic of Cyprus to explore and exploit its natural resources within its EEZ are entirely legal falling within its sovereign rights as recognised by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, all EU member states and by all Permanent and Non-Permanent Members of the UN Security Council.

She referred to “blatant threats of violence and saber rattling which involved Turkish warships and aircraft, air and naval exercises in the sea south of Cyprus, and illegal seismic surveying and seabed mapping, carried out by ships on behalf of Turkey inside our EEZ in blatant violation of Cypriot sovereign rights”. She also mentioned the signing by Turkey of an agreement with its proxy in the occupied part of Cyprus, an agreement which seeks to create the semblance of legality in what cannot possibly be legal.

“But Turkey does not stop there. Its newfound confidence, based on real or imagined successes, its economic growth, and, I am sorry to say, the unbridled support it receives in some countries, has given rise to a neighbourhood bully”, she said.

Markoullis said that Turkey cares very little about the Turkish Cypriots and a great deal about its own selfish interests.

“It is even making claims for an imagined EEZ of its own which in some places borders on the EEZ of Egypt! It would be no exaggeration to say that Turkey is not just violating international law; it is following a conduct in international relations which belongs to another century, before international law was put in place to guide relations between states”, she said.

Reminding Cyprus’ support for Turkey’s European aspirations, she expressed her disappointment when seeing Turkey failing to progress along its European path.

“The negotiation process is not progressing; in fact it has remained frozen, because Turkey is failing to meet the European standards and its commitments to the European Union. It is failing because, like in international law, Turkey wants to dictate its own terms to the European Union”, she said.

“We are hopeful that the Turkey, which aspires to be recognised as a regional if not a global leader, will rise to the occasion. We are hopeful that the Turkish leadership will put aside polemics, diatribes, threats, and adopt a more mild and statesmanlike tone and attitude. We believe that there is room for Turkey to cooperate with its neighbours, out of genuine desire toward common ground and mutual benefit. To do that, Turkey must meet its obligations vis a vis the European Union. It must meet its obligations in terms of international law”, she said.

Referring to the UN-led direct talks for a solution in Cyprus, she said that after three years and 120 direct meetings between the two leaders, there is still no substantive progress on the most crucial issues of the executive powers in the governance chapter, as well as in the refugee, property, territory and citizenship chapters.

She explained that the main stumbling block has all along been the position maintained by the Turkish Cypriot side, fully supported by the Turkish Government, that the goal should not be a federation, in the form of one unbreakable federal state, with a single sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship, as has been agreed and endorsed by the international community, but a confederal arrangement between two separate states with separate sovereignties.

“Despite the difficulties and obstacles on the way, we continue to persist in our efforts to reunify our country in the form of a bizonal, bicommunal federation”, she said.

She added that the developments from the hydrocarbon discoveries in Cyprus’ EEZ, the prospects for prosperity for all Cypriots once reunification is achieved appear tremendous and should work as a catalyst in the direction of moving forward the talks towards reaching an agreement. She expressed the hope that Turkey, which could significantly benefit from a likely cooperation with a reunited Cyprus in all sectors, but primarily in the energy field, will grasp the message of peace, stability and prosperity.

Cyprus Exit Polls: Mavrou loses Mayoral Seat

2011-12-18T23:32:00.006+02:00

(Famagusta Gazette) - An indication of the local political map is emerging as the first exit poll results are published this evening, with candidates backed by the ruling party of Demitris Christofias AKEL taking a beating.

Opposition backed candidates were set to win an overwhelming victory in local elections, with final results expected at 10pm (9pm CET).

Early exit poll results broadcast by Sigma show that Nicosia mayoral candidate Constantinos Yiorkadjis, who enjoys the support of DISY, DIKO and EVROKO, appears to have won the job, ousting long time incumbent Eleni Mavrou, who was backed by AKEL.

Yiorkadjis is the stepson of former president Tassos Papadopoulos and is the son of former Interior Minister Polykarpos Yiorkadjis, who was assassinated in 1970.

In Larnaca, independent candidate Andreas Louroutziatis who was supported by DISY, EDEK and EVROKO has beaten well known politician Nicos Kleanthous, who was backed by AKEL and DIKO.

In Strovolos, three-term incumbent mayor Savvas Eilophotou is seen losing to newcomer Lazaros Savvides, an independent backed by DISY. Eliophotou was backed by AKEL.

The poll also shows Paphos candidates Phidias Sarikas and incumbent Savvas Vergas running tiny margin in one of the tightest elections ever.

Exit poll results (19% Ayia Napa / 38% Paralimni), suggest incumbent Antonis Tsokkos holds Ayia Napa and incumbent Andreas Evangelou loses Paralimni - final results at 10pm.

Polls closed at 6pm.

Benedict XVI is the first Pope to visit Cyprus

2010-06-05T15:41:00.006+03:00

German Chancellor Merkel urges Turkey to open its ports to ships and planes from Cyprus

2010-03-29T19:09:00.002+03:00

SELCAN HACAOGLU, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

March 29, 2010 10:10 a.m.

(Metronews.ca) - ANKARA, Turkey - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is stressing that Turkey should open its ports to ships and planes from Cyprus, which is a member of the European Union.

Turkey began EU membership talks in 2005 but some areas of negotiation are frozen because Turkey refuses to allow ships and planes from Cyprus to enter its ports and airspace.

Merkel has said Turkey should be given a "privileged partnership" that falls short of full EU membership. She said Monday that the matter of Cyprus "must be "addressed."

Turkey insists that what it calls an unofficial trade embargo on the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state be lifted.

Statements by the Foreign Minister on the Orams case

2010-01-22T00:12:00.002+02:00

(PIO) - The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Markos Kyprianou, invited by the press to say how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intends to utilize the British Court of Appeal decision in the case Apostolides v Orams, stated the following:

“The implementation and the execution of the decision is now a legal obligation and we will be following the developments closely. Of course, of exceptional importance to us are the broader consequences and the wider significance of this decision in conjunction with the important Judgement of the European Court, which was in essence adopted by the British Court as well. This decision points out certain legal facts that are very important.

First of all, it is applicable throughout Europe and it applies to all European citizens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will become active - we have already been active since the decision of the European Court but now we will become more active, so that the significance of the decision, the illegality of purchasing immovable property and the existing risks for the buyers in illegally purchasing occupied property can be made known to all European citizens. Consequently it is a decision that binds all the member states and the citizens of the European Union and can be executed in the countries where they live.

Secondly, which is also very important, the combination of the European and British decision reaffirms that - irrespective of the occupation and the practical weakness of the state to exercise control on the occupied areas - the Laws and the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus still apply. This is a message that must be sent, not only to the citizens, the private buyers, but also to the governments of all foreign states, especially the European ones, and all those carrying out business in the occupied areas; the reminder that anything they do must be done with respect for the Laws of the Republic of Cyprus, and of course this also applies for the European Commission which, through various regulations that have been adopted to strengthen the Turkish Cypriot community, is active in the occupied areas.
Thirdly, and this concerns of course the talks in Cyprus, the legitimacy of the positions presented by our side is reaffirmed concerning, not only who the legitimate owners of occupied properties are, but also who should have a say in the management and the fate of this right, who is of course the owner.

So, I totally disagree with the approach of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I do not believe that this decision will complicate the talks. On the contrary, it reaffirms the legitimacy of our proposals and I believe that this should be accepted also by the other side”.

ECHR finds Turkey guilty...again

2009-10-28T01:16:00.000+02:00

The Court found violations of the right to life in the cases of Kallis and Androulla Panayi v. Turkey and Andreou v. Turkey. The applicants complained about injuries and a death caused by the Turkish armed forces in the United Nations buffer zone in Cyprus.

European Court condemns Turkey of human rights violations in Cyprus

2009-10-28T01:13:00.001+02:00

(Financial Mirror) - The fourth section of the European Court of Human Rights issued today its decisions on two cases Greek Cypriots brought against Turkey, condemning Ankara of violation of the right to life, as enshrined in the European Convention on Human rights.

The first case, concerning the application of Kallis and Androulla Panayi against Turkey, the Court ruled that there was a violation of Article 2, of the Convention and awarded 35,000 euro each in respect of non-pecuniary damages and 9,888,30 euro for costs and expenses.

Androulla and Kallis Panayi's son, Stellios, 19, at the time serving with the armed forces, was killed in June 1996 by the Turkish occupation forces when he entered the UN buffer zone, while off duty and unarmed. When members of the UN Peace keeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) attempted to reach him in order to provide medical treatment needed to save his life, the Turkish armed forces fired and did not allow it, as a result of which he died.

The Turkish government disputed the facts presented by the applicants, claiming that Panayi was ''fully armed, making gestures by hand and calling the Turkish Cypriot soldiers to go over to him.''

Disputing Turkey's allegations that Panayi was armed, the Court ruled ''that although Stelios had been wearing uniform and hence one could have assumed that he might have carried a gun, that fact alone could not in the circumstances have justified the shots fired at him,'' adding ''the Turkish soldiers had been in complete control of the area and Stelios’ behaviour had not posed a threat to them; consequently the soldiers would have been able to stop him without jeopardising his life.''

''The Court found unanimously that Stelios Panayi had been killed by representatives of the Turkish authorities who had used excessive force, not justified by the circumstances of the case, in violation of Article 2,'' the judgment said.

The second case concerns Georgia Andreou, now deceased, a British national who was shot by Turkish soldiers on 14 August 1996, during the tensions that followed the death Anastasios Isaak, kicked and beaten to death by Turkish-Cypriot policemen and counter-demonstrators three days earlier at a motorcycle rally in protest against the Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus.

Although outside the buffer zone, she sustained a serious gunshot wound to her abdomen; she was immediately taken to hospital where she was operated on. Moreover, according to a press release, issued following the incident by the UN Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP), two of its high-ranking members had seen uniformed Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot military personnel kneeling down and firing in the direction of the demonstrators inside the UN buffer zone.

As a result, two British UNFICYP soldiers and two Greek-Cypriot civilians (one of whom was the applicant) were hit by gunfire. According to the ECHR, this version of events was also confirmed in a report by the UN Secretary General.

''The indiscriminate and unwarranted firing into the crowd which was gathering inside and outside the buffer zone had put numerous lives at risk. The fact that the applicant had not been killed was fortuitous. Nor was the seriousness of her injuries, corroborated by the medical reports, in dispute between the parties. The Court therefore considered that, irrespective of whether or not the soldiers had actually intended to kill Ms Andreou, she had been the victim of conduct which by its very nature had put her life at risk, even though, in the event, she had actually survived. Article 2 was therefore applicable in the applicant’s case,'' the Court ruling notes.

Consequently, under Article 41 (just satisfaction) of the Convention, the Court awarded Ms Andreou’s husband and children 585,68 euro (EUR) in respect of pecuniary damages, EUR 40,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damages and EUR 10,000 in respect of costs and expenses.

Greek Prime Minister meets President Christofias

2009-10-20T13:48:00.013+03:00

Reuters Pictures

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou walks with Cypriot President Demetris Christofias during his state visit to the east Mediterranean island, in Larnaca October 19, 2009. The two leaders meet to discuss Turkey's prospects of entering the EU and their bilateral relations.

(Latest News Archive, From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server)

President Christofias meets Greek Prime Minister
Statements by President Christofias and the Prime Minister of Greece
Address by the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias at the state dinner in Honour of the Prime Minister of Greece Mr George Papandreou

1. President Christofias meets Greek Prime Minister

The President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias had a meeting yesterday at the Presidential Palace with the newly-elected Greek Prime Minister Mr George Papandreou, who is paying a two-day official visit to Cyprus, his first official visit abroad since assuming office.

Mr Papandreou, heading a delegation, arrived yesterday morning at Larnaka Airport where he was welcomed by President Christofias, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Markos Kyprianou and the Undersecretary to the President Dr Titos Christofides.

The official welcoming ceremony for the Greek Premier was held at noon yesterday at the Presidential Palace. President Christofias and Prime Minister Papandreou then entered the Presidential Palace for a tête-à-tête meeting, followed by talks with the participation of their delegations.

Mr Papandreou later signed the Presidential Palace guest book, in which he wrote the following:

“Greece is once again by the side of the Cyprus Republic, actively, not in words but in practice. No one must forget, and we don’t forget, that the cause of the Cyprus problem is the invasion and occupation by Turkish troops. We are ready to cooperate with the leadership of Cyprus, President Demetris Christofias, for a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem within the framework of the UN decisions and in agreement and harmony with the European acquis communautaire”.

2. Statements by President Christofias and the Prime Minister of Greece

Greece and Cyprus have decided to continue their cooperation to promote a solution to the Cyprus problem and to utilize the December landmark, when Turkey’s EU course will be assessed, the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias and the Prime Minister of Greece Mr George Papandreou stated, yesterday, after their official talks in Nicosia.

“It is the common conviction of Greece and Cyprus that Turkey’s EU course would be to the benefit of both countries”, Mr Papandreou said.

He added that he is not in favour of a special relationship of Turkey with the EU, but supports the possibility, the right of Turkey to become a full member of the EU, as long as it fulfills its obligations to the EU and contributes to the solution of the Cyprus problem.

He also said that it is necessary to utilize the European framework in the most effective way and noted that the European Council of December is important because it will assess Turkey's EU course, objectively and strictly.

Mr Papandreou said that the efforts will continue, always with the aim of peace and cooperation among the peoples of the region, adding that the solution of the Cyprus problem should be just and viable.

President Christofias expressed his warm thanks and gratitude because Cyprus and the Cyprus problem constitute a personal priority of Mr Papandreou and his Government.

He said that Greece is Cyprus’ main supporter in the struggle for the solution of the Cyprus problem, and that with Mr Papandreou they discussed the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and Euro -Turkish relations, noting that there is full identity of views.

President Christofias assured that he will continue to work for the solution of the Cyprus problem with the same determination and stressed that he expects the same stance from the Turkish Cypriot side.

He further said that Turkey’s good will and cooperation is needed, but unfortunately, so far, Turkey has done nothing in the direction of the solution or of fulfilling its obligations to the EU.

Cyprus and Greece support Turkey's European prospect, but not without preconditions, he said, and underlined the need to utilize the December landmark.

3. Address by the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias at the state dinner in Honour of the Prime Minister of Greece Mr George Papandreou

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Cyprus once again, friend George Papandreou, this time as Prime Minister of Greece. I wish you, Mr. Prime Minister, every success in the work you are undertaking at such a difficult but also decisive moment.

Cyprus and Greece have been linked since ancient times and constantly over the centuries. Greeks and Cypriots have always responded to every call of Cyprus and Greece respectively for help at difficult times, ready for every personal and collective assistance and sacrifice. We are also united by the firm, irrefutable, deep roots of a common language, conscience, common culture, common religion and common values.

Allow me, Mr. Prime Minister, to express, on behalf of the Cypriot people and myself personally, warm thanks, because as you have repeatedly and publicly stated, Cyprus is your personal priority as well as the priority, of your new Government. The international recognition and respect bestowed on you, as well as your active and tireless involvement in foreign policy issues will undoubtedly assist our common effort for a just, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem. A solution which will be based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, international law and the principles on which the EU is based. A solution which will put an end to the illegal Turkish occupation and will free Cyprus of foreign troops and illegal settlers.

In this effort for the reunification of Cyprus, Mr. Prime Minister, we need the assistance of all, but primarily we look forward to your assistance and co-operation on the basis of the mutual support and respect between two states bound by fraternal relations.
I take this opportunity to thank you whole-heartedly for your full support of our initiatives and efforts for the solution of the problem. I would like to assure you that our co-operation for the accomplishment of our common goals will be close and on a daily basis.

Dear friend, Mr. Prime Minister, after the fall of the dictatorship in Greece, relations between Cyprus and Greece, between the Cypriot and the Greek peoples, were placed on a new basis of mutual respect, solidarity and fraternal friendship and cooperation.

During all these years of the terrible ordeal of the difficult anti-occupation struggle, the leadership and the people of Cyprus have felt the warm embrace of the people, the political forces and the democratic Governments of Greece.

Any problems appearing during this course were not able to cast a shadow on the multifaceted and excellent fraternal relations between the states and the peoples of Greece and Cyprus.

The enhancement of the multifaceted, excellent relations between Cyprus and Greece gained momentum after Cyprus' accession to the European Union. The horizons for common action in all fields have expanded dramatically and the possibilities of co-operation in the political, economic, educational and cultural sectors, both bilaterally and in the framework of international organizations, have multiplied.

During our talks today we observed a natural identity of views on the issues of intense common interest, the Cyprus problem and the Euro-Turkish issues. At the same time, we expressed our will for further development of our multifaceted and excellent bilateral relations and our convergence on regional and international issues: the political problems of our region, as well as wider international problems such as the scourge of famine, the dangers of climate change and the global economic crisis. It is not just that we find common points of reference in the framework of our co-operation within the European Union. It is also that we share the view that man should be at the epicenter of politics, of the economy and of every human activity.

Mr. Prime Minister,

Ordinary people and the effort to secure a life of dignity for all has always been at the heart of my political route. At the same time, in a semi-occupied Cyprus with our future survival as a small country under serious threat, the political party which I come from and I, myself, feel a strong sense of duty towards our homeland.

As you know, since the first moment of my election to the position of President of the Republic I have undertaken initiatives and made gestures of good will in order to finally overcome the deadlock and achieve the desired solution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of Cyprus. After the preliminary work and the clarification of the basis of the talks we began, on 3 September 2008, comprehensive negotiations with Mr. Talat.

The basis of the talks is determined and it originates from the Security Council Resolutions and the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979. It is this basis of a United Federal Cyprus Republic, which is composed of two federal entities and is a state with a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship that we confirmed with Mr. Talat before the commencement of the direct talks. Furthermore, the fact that Mr. Talat rose to the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community with the support of the progressive, pro-peace parties due to his positions in favour of the need for a speedy solution of the Cyprus problem that would reunify Cyprus, raised the expectation of the public at large that progress at the talks would normally be relatively easy. Unfortunately, this expectation did not materialize. Despite convergence on some issues, significant divergence and disagreements on fundamental aspects of the problem still remain.

Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that we are not disappointed by the difficulties and we remain committed to our goal, steadfast on principles and facing the difficulties with a calm attitude, as well as with good will and flexibility. What is at stake is of vital importance and it relates to our survival. Therefore, we have a historic responsibility to work consistently and with determination for the success of this endeavour.

Our goal is a free, independent and prosperous Cyprus, in which all citizens, regardless of ethnic origin, will be equal and enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms without restrictions and foreign guardianships.

The Greek Cypriot community, under the leadership of the late President Makarios, made the great historic compromise in accepting the transformation of the unitary state to a bicommunal bizonal federation, aiming to pave the way for a solution of the Cyprus problem.

Unfortunately, Turkey has not been helpful so far. The National Security Council’s official Press releases and similarly, the statements of the political leadership of Turkey, stand in favour of a solution that is contrary to the relevant UN Resolutions and outside the common basis that was agreed before the commencement of the negotiations. Consequently, public statements from Turkey about supporting the process remain void of substantial content.

We have the political will and we are ready for an agreement which will reunite the country, the economy, the institutions and our people. If Turkey shows a positive spirit and acts within the framework of respect for international law and human rights, then the necessary prerequisites will be created for a speedy solution to the Cyprus problem. This is so, because such behaviour will have a positive effect in the direction of both sides/ speaking the language of federation during the talks and we will reach a solution.
It is Turkey’s obligation to do this, as it is its obligation to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, normalize its relations with it and implement the Ankara Protocol. Unfortunately, however, Turkey continues not to comply with its obligations towards the EU.
Cyprus and Greece consciously take a positive stance towards the full accession of Turkey to the EU. However, accession does not entail only benefits for Turkey but also obligations, the same as for every other candidate country.

This coming December the EU will evaluate Turkey’s progress as to the extent to which it has proceeded with the necessary reforms and whether it is fulfiling its obligations. We will stand firm on our demand that the evaluation be just and objective and that where there are deficiencies there will be no blank-checks. We are not aiming for the punishment of Turkey, but the fulfilment of the obligations it has undertaken and, foremost, at its positive contribution to the solution of the Cyprus problem. If however, Turkey continues to act arrogantly and provocatively and refuses to fulfil its obligations, it must become clear, that it cannot continue on the road to accession, unhindered and without repercussions.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

In this effort we are aided by the Greek Government and the Greek people and we are optimistic that with patience and the adherence to principles we will succeed.

Allow me to raise a toast to your and your family’s, health. I also wish you every success with your work and progress and prosperity to the people of Greece.

Barking up the wrong trees

2009-10-20T13:28:00.005+03:00

Reuters Pictures

(Cyprus Weekly) - It’s all well and good for President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to plant olive trees in a symbolic, albeit tacky, ceremony at the UN headquarters yesterday.

The picture of the two leaders - and that of the UN envoy watering the two saplings to demonstrate that the world body wants to help the peace process along - will doubtless strike a chord as the international community looks for closure of the long-running dispute in Cyprus.

But no amount of tree planting will bring results on the ground. And it will take more than goodwill and cordial ties between the leaders of the two communities to reach a settlement that will be lasting, if it is both just and viable.

The Greek Cypriot side and this newspaper may sound like a stuck record. But, in the final analysis, it is Ankara that holds the key to peace. And it is Ankara that must be made to understand that it does not befit a country seeking a place in the European Union to occupy another country, a member of the very club it wants to join.

And this is where the European Commission has let us down. This is the body that proclaims its role to be the interests of the EU as a whole rather than the interests of individual member states.

Yet, when it came to assessing Turkey’s accession progress it opted to placate, rather than to tell an aspiring EU member that the least it could do is comply with what has been asked of it – such as recognising the Republic of Cyprus and opening its ports and airports to Cyprus traffic.

If the EU can look the other way when a country so blatantly ignores its rules, then why does it make such a big deal of its accession criteria?

No-one is naive enough to expect an all-out attack against Turkey. Many would argue that this would only be counter-productive, serving to alienate a country the EU and the US firmly believe best suits their interests to be inside the bloc, rather than harbouring grievances outside it.

But this policy will collapse unless Turkey is made to understand that it must earn its place in the EU. And this means adopting its principles – even to a country its does not recognise.

Congressmen call on Obama to seek Turkey's cooperation on Cyprus

2009-10-17T16:46:00.001+03:00

(Financial Mirror) - Fifty five Congressmen have urged US President Barack Obama ''to impress upon Turkey that a solution to the Cyprus problem cannot be reached without its full and constructive cooperation, both in the process and in the outcome of the negotiations for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, and without the withdrawal of its military forces from Cyprus.''

In a letter to Obama, dated 5 October, the 55 Congressmen welcome the commitment demonstrated by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Ali Talat who have been engaged in direct negotiations since September 2008 with the aim of reunifying the island.

''Only a well-prepared and mutually agreed settlement based on the universal principles of international law and human rights, the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, and the principles on which the European Union is founded would guarantee a just, viable and lasting solution,'' they stress.

They also reiterate their support for the reunification of the island and its people in a bi-communal and bi-zonal federation with a single sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship, with its independence and territorial integrity safeguarded, and comprising two politically equal communities as described in the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, adding that ''such a solution for Cyprus would respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots.''

They also note that a solution to the Cyprus problem must come from the Cypriots themselves and serve first and foremost their interests, which can be achieved if the Cypriots retain ownership of the process which should not be subjected to strict timeframes or arbitration.

''Ultimately however, the key to a successful outcome of the negotiating process and reunification of the island remains with Ankara. Turkey must give the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community the necessary freedom to negotiate a solution within the established framework and facilitate that solution with the removal of its troops from Cyprus,'' they conclude.

Wind farm first for Cyprus

2009-10-11T19:14:00.002+03:00

(Cyprus Weekly) - By Lucie Robson

The ground breaking ceremony for Cyprus’s first wind farm took place in the Orites area of Paphos on Wednesday marking a significant milestone in the island’s development of its renewable energy capability.

“This occasion marks a historic day for the progress of our country towards ‘green development’,” said House President, Marios Garoyian at the ground-breaking.

The first such installation of its kind in Cyprus, the wind farm is expected to be operational by the end of 2010 and will produce 8% of the island’s total energy capacity.

The wind farm is located on the Orites Mountain on a site spread over 16 square kilometres.

The project has a capacity of 82MW in its first phase, with approved capacity for 140MW when complete.

Orites, the first private-sector power project on the island, is also the first to benefit from the new 20-year fixed rate tariff that has recently been approved by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the European Commission. Construction began last month, with operations scheduled to start at the end of 2010.

Managed by DK Wind Supply Ltd, financing for the project was secured by Platina Partners LLP, a private equity fund advisor specialising in renewable energy.

Financing for the project was secured by Platina Partners. Debt financing was arranged by Commerzbank, ING and Nord LB, with EIB providing 50% of the debt.

The ceremony was attended by Akis Ellinas, Chairman of DK Wind Supply, Thomas Rottner and Emma Collins of Platina Partners, House President, Marios Garoyian, Interior Minister Neoklis Sylikiotis, EIB Vice-President, Plutarchos Sakellaris and Deputy High Commissioner for Cyprus, Brian Olley.

The blessing was given by the Senior Diocesan Official Father Geronimo.

In an official statement, Ellinas spoke of the benefits of wind power: “At a time when climate change climbs to the top of the political agenda, wind energy continues to be the only advanced technology ready and able to deliver renewable power on a large scale,” he said.

“Our project is the biggest investment in renewable energy and the first wind energy investment in Cyprus. It represents an investment amounting to €170m.”

Orites is expected to save Cyprus from a hefty EU fine on CO2 emissions and will help the island meet its quota of 6% renewable energy production in 2010.

The project will contribute significantly to the Government’s target of producing 13% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. It also represents 27% of the required installed wind energy capacity of 300MW by 2020. The implementation of the project was mindful of environmental aspects and is bringing together know-how from leading EU companies including Vestas and Siemens.

“Financing the first renewable energy project in Cyprus was an exciting challenge and we are delighted to have helped secure the first wind project on the island,” said Thomas Rottner of Platina Partners.

“As well as being an important milestone in the continuing expansion of Platina’s European renewable energy portfolio, the success in financing Orites in tight debt markets demonstrates that credit is still available for the best projects.”

Future of renewable energy finance

EIB Vice-President, Plutarchos Sakellaris, spoke of the future of the bank’s financing of renewable energy projects.

“Orites is the largest and most advanced wind farm in Cyprus. It paves the way for further developments in the sector, and brings the Cypriot Government closer to its target and EU’s objective for renewable energy production,” he said.

“The EU objective for renewable energy will be a major challenge, as the required investment could be in the order of €600-700b up to 2020. We at the EIB are ready to play a strong and active role in supporting the Member States’ efforts with adequate funding and adapted finance products.”

Cypriot and British business cooperation was highlighted by British Deputy High Commissioner, Brian Olley.

“I welcome the collaboration between Cypriot and UK companies - the sharing of expertise and know how - which has helped make this possible,” he said.

Green initiatives stressed

The launch comes just days after an EU conference on renewable energy took place in Paphos which was attended by key stakeholders from Cyprus and Greece.

Speaking at the conference, the Swedish EU Presidency stressed the need for business to embrace ‘green’ initiatives.

“It is impossible to develop our economies without firm action on climate and the environment,” it said. “A low carbon economy is the only way towards growth.”

CYPRUS PRESIDENT - INDEPENDENCE DAY - MESSAGE

2009-10-01T08:39:00.003+03:00

(CNA) - President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias said on Wednesday that the evaluation of Turkey`s EU accession course in December provides Turkey with the opportunity to prove that it really wishes a solution to the Cyprus problem, and warned that if Turkey continues to provoke the EU, by refusing to meet its obligations, it will not be able to continue its accession course unobstructed.

He added that Cyprus` support to Turkey`s EU course was a strategic decision, in order to create the dynamics for a solution, noting that a solution should be based on principles and be the product of negotiations and agreement between the two communities.

In a message to the people for the October 1 anniversary of the independence of Cyprus, President Christofias referred to the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, which is ``a common success of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,`` and added that ``we owe honour and gratitude to those who fought and fell to liberate our homeland, to defend the independence, democracy and territorial integrity of our homeland all these years.``

President Christofias referred to the ``Cyanean Rocks, adventures and tragedies`` of the newly established Republic of Cyprus, the high levels of growth and progress achieved by the people of Cyprus, and the events of 1974.

He also referred to the efforts that led to the resumption of the dialogue for a Cyprus settlement, noting that the agreed basis is ``a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as defined in relevant UN resolutions, for a single state with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international identity.``

``We are pursuing a solution that will safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the whole of our people. It is our view that Cyprus, an EU member state, does not need guarantees and guardians with intervention rights,`` he added.

President Christofias said that the first round of negotiations ``was concluded with some relative progress, which however is not enough.``

``Nevertheless, we continue the negotiations with the same determination. We knew from the beginning that the path of the negotiations would be neither easy nor strewn with rose petals. The path of the negotiations is difficult and uphill but we who are seeking a solution and reunification, permanent peace and security, the restoration and safeguarding of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, it is a one-way street,`` he pointed out.

He said that ``our effort is to achieve a solution the soonest possible, because the passing of time creates more problems,`` adding that ``we will not accept a solution that is not based on principles, and we will not accept a solution that is not the product of negotiations and agreement between the two communities.``

President Christofias said that, ``with the policy we are implementing, we managed to convince the international community that the process for a settlement belongs to the Cypriots, that there will be neither arbitration nor deadlines.``

``Despite the problems in the negotiations, I continue to state that I am reservedly optimistic. With the continuation of the comprehensive strategy we are following, with calmness and insistence on the fundamental principles of the solution, which we have collectively discussed at the National Council, we can reached the long-awaited solution,`` he said.

He pointed out that, ``in order for this to happen, it is a necessary prerequisite that Turkey changes its stance,`` adding that Turkey ``holds the key to the solution and must use it.``

``The time has come for Turkey to prove that it really wishes a solution. The evaluation of its EU accession course in December provides Turkey with this opportunity. By meeting the obligations it has undertaken towards the EU and its member states, and by constructively contributing to efforts for a solution, Turkey will above all help itself. We warn Turkey that if it continues to provoke the EU, by refusing to meet its obligations, it will not be able to continue its accession course unobstructed,`` he said.

President Christofias noted that Cyprus` support to Turkey`s EU course was a strategic decision, in order to create the dynamics for a solution. ``Our support is not a blank checque. It is up to Turkey to cash it,`` he added.

He also referred to the need for unity on the home front in order for the struggle of the people of Cyprus to be successful, and assured that ``establishing unity is a standing aim of our government.``

President Christofias noted that the recent meeting of the National Council, top advisory body to the President of the Republic on the handling of the Cyprus problem, and the issuing of a joint statement with the contribution of all members of the body, was ``an important step to create unity on the home front.``

Regarding other challenges faced by Cyprus, President Christofias said the vision of his government was to build a more just society, which will be able to meet the reasonable needs of the citizens.

He also referred to the global financial crisis, which ``unavoidably adversely affects the economy of Cyprus as well,`` and expressed optimism that the problems would be overcome.

``I assure the citizens that the commitments contained in the programme of my government will be implemented. The financial crisis may delay the implementation of some of them, which is a natural development under the circumstances, but all promises will be kept,`` he said.

President Christofias also sent a message of confidence and optimism to all, as well as a special message of friendship and cooperation to the Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have been engaged in UN-led direct negotiations since September 2008, with an aim to reunite the island.

President Demetris Christofias in New York

2009-09-27T18:18:00.021+03:00

(Photos Of the President and his wife Elsi
at the Terrace on the Park in Queens, New York
September 26, 2009. Click on images to enlarge.)

Last night, the President addressed an event organized by the Cyprus Federation of America to honour veteran Greek Cypriot community leader Hambis Nicolaou with the “Justice for Cyprus” award. During his address, the President touched on the Cyprus issue. He mentioned that "we are struggling to persuade the world that the international law, the United Nations Charter, European Union values and all human rights conventions, international or European, are violated in Cyprus".

Christofias said that the paradox is that Turkey which is the perpetrator in the case of Cyprus, appears, with the support of its powerful friends, to be the victim “and us, who we are the victims, appear to be the perpetrators”.

He also stressed that the fact that the Greek Cypriot side accepted the bizonal, bicommunal federation as the solution to the Cyprus problem has been a historic compromise and expressed regret that "many of our interlocutors ask from us to make more concessions."

Referring to the Annan plan he said that the Greek Cypriot side had to reject it even if it was prepared by the former UN Secretary General, noting that the plan was not fair or balanced and the solution would not be viable and functional.

President Christofias reassured that he will continue his struggle for the vindication of the people of Cyprus.

A World of Paradoxes

2009-09-26T13:57:00.005+03:00

(Source: Cyprus Weekly) - In his address to the United Nations General Assembly last night President Christofias highlighted three paradoxes, all of them linked directly to the Turkish occupation of Cyprus:

1: That Turkey, though a member of the Security Council, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the United Nations

2: That Turkey, though a member of the Security Council, maintains occupation troops on the territory of another member state of the UN and of the European Union.

3: That Turkey, though a member of the Security Council, undermines the unity and territorial integrity of Cyprus by promoting the creation of a second state in violation of Security Council Resolution 541, which branded the unilateral declaration of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state null and void.

There is a fourth - very blatant - paradox that reflects directly on an international community prepared to look the other way as laws are flouted and human rights ignored.

The United Nations is supposed to represent the conscience of the world, while the Security Council is supposed to act in the name of international legality.

Turkey’s very presence on the Security Council is a reflection of how far the United Nations still has to go if its promises to build a just world are to be believed.

Granted, Turkey is not the only country that does not deserve a place on an international body purportedly brought together by a shared commitment to peace and justice.

Nor would treating it as a pariah state necessarily bring the desired results.

But surely the time has come the UN to take a long hard look at its members and – just like any club – remind its members that there are rules to the game that must be adhered to.

UN Security Council member Turkey would be a good place to start.

Below is the President's speech to the UN in its entirety:

Mr. President,

I wish to extend to you sincere congratulations on your election as President of the 64th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations and to also express appreciation for the excellent work done by your predecessor, Mr. Miguel d’ Escoto Brockmann.

I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the work of the Organisation and to congratulate him for his initiative to convene the High-level Summit on Climate Change.

Since its independence, the Republic of Cyprus has been committed to multilateral diplomacy and the strengthening of the role of the United Nations.

World stability and welfare have been threatened by the recent global economic crisis. The crisis showed the weaknesses of our collective oversight systems. It is only through collective international action and not through economic nationalism that we can overcome such challenges. The same is true of action against disease and poverty, as well as the prevention of further damage to the environment, which affects the lives of us all.

The most important lesson to be learnt from the financial crisis is that the economy cannot be seen in isolation from the needs of society.

Despite the remarkable development of production forces, that could have secured decent living conditions for all, in many parts of the world people are still deprived of basic goods such as drinking water and health care, as well as access to education and work.

The magnitude of the financial crisis shows that it is a crisis of the system and of its most extreme manifestation- neo-liberalism and market lawlessness. In its present form, globalization is not the realization of the vision of philosophers and social revolutionaries for global brotherhood and prosperity for all. This is because globalization is driven by the pursuit of excessive profits. As a result, the rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer.

Mr. President,

More than half way to the 2015 deadline for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, the financial crisis is forcing states and institutions to re-assess global priorities. The UN is the most important international body able to tackle the effects of the global financial crisis, and to act collectively and effectively, to prevent their most dire consequences.

The world today is facing multiple challenges and threats: climate change, depletion of resources, human rights abuses, failure to protect vulnerable populations, increased regional and interstate conflict, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, pandemics.

From this podium we have heard the desperate voice of those who live on small island states, the despairing appeal of youth and the dramatic warnings of scientists about climate change. If we do not take measures now, we face the risk of extinction. We join our voice and lend our support to the proposals for taking concrete action. We must take measures now. Tomorrow will be too late. The December Meeting in Copenhagen must become a historic turning point towards addressing effectively catastrophic climate changes.

Mr. President,

Since its independence, the Republic of Cyprus has relied heavily on the principles of the United Nations in maintaining its independence, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity.

After the twin crime of a military coup and foreign invasion of Cyprus in 1974, when military force attempted to obliterate our statehood and violated the integrity of our state, the United Nations responded with a number of important resolutions, expressing the international community’s moral and legal support to the Republic of Cyprus.

The plethora of Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions on Cyprus provided my country with the necessary support to continue its struggle for a solution to its political problem, on the basis of those resolutions, the principles of the UN Charter and of international law.

Shortly after my election in office, I undertook the initiative to bring the stalemate to an end. As a result of that, we embarked a year ago, on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions, and under the auspices of the Good Offices Mission of the Secretary–General, on intensive negotiations with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat. Trusting the sincerity of Mr. Talat’s intentions, we have engaged in a common effort to bring an end to the division of our country.

We agreed that the process would be in the hands of the Cypriots without arbitration and artificial timetables.

Some progress has been achieved in the negotiations. But not such as to make us confident that we are close to a final solution to the Cyprus problem.

Our goal is the restoration of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of the Republic of Cyprus, the common homeland of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. It is also our goal to restore the human rights and basic freedoms of all citizens of the Republic of Cyprus regardless of their ethnic background.

We are committed to the evolution of the unitary state into a federal state consisting of two largely autonomous regions. One region will be administered by the Greek-Cypriot community and the other by the Turkish-Cypriot community. Given the fact that in Cyprus the population lived intermingled throughout the island, this constituted for us a great historical concession made by the late President Makarios to our Turkish Cypriot compatriots.

We remain true to this commitment. The United Federal Republic of Cyprus must safeguard the unity of the state and its institutions, as well as of the economy and the people.

Unfortunately, despite our common efforts, the Turkish Cypriot side, supported by Turkey, continues to present positions and proposals which lead us outside the framework of the United Nations Resolutions on Cyprus with regard to the termination of military occupation, the illegal possession of properties and the presence of settlers. Possible acceptance of these positions would lead to an acceptance of many of the consequences of the occupation and to violations of international Conventions on human rights, basic freedoms and the principles on which federations are built. It is clear that such a solution would be neither viable, nor functional, and would not ensure the continuing unity of the state and the country.

We sincerely hope that during the second round of negotiations, which has just started, there will be a reconsideration of Turkish positions, so that we can, as soon as possible, reach an agreed solution which we can then present to the people in separate simultaneous referenda.

This solution must be by the Cypriots, for the Cypriots. It is evident that we will not present the people with a solution originating from outside and neither can we accept arbitration and exercise of pressure through artificial timetables. These preconditions were agreed with the Secretary-General under whose auspices the negotiations are taking place. I would like to take this opportunity to thank once again the Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon for his Good Offices Mission and for the role of the United Nations as a facilitator in the negotiating process.

After the 1974 invasion and the occupation of 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, Turkey has become a key player for the solution of the Cyprus problem. The success of our efforts for a solution of the problem depends on Turkey’s political will and the policies it implements. It is not enough for the Turkish leadership to publicly state that it supports the negotiating process.

Turkey should contribute in a practical way to a solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality as defined in the relevant Security Council resolutions. Instead Turkey pursues a confederal solution.

A good will measure on the part of Turkey would have been the implementation of SC Resolution 550 of 1984 which stipulates the transfer of the occupied ghost-town of Varoshia to the administration of the United Nations and the return of its legal inhabitants to their homes and properties. In addition, Turkey should proceed with the normalization of its relations with the Republic of Cyprus, as well as with its recognition as stipulated by the decisions of the European Union.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask you: Is it not a paradox for a country that is a member of the Security Council not to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the United Nations, the European Union and of all international organizations?

Is it not a paradox for a member of the Security Council to maintain occupation troops for 35 years on the territory of another UN member state, and a member state of the European Union?

Is it not a paradox to undermine the unity and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus by promoting the creation of a second state on the island in violation of Security Council Resolution 541 of 1983 which unanimously condemns the illegal UDI, calling it null and void, and calls on all states to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus?

Yes, it is a paradox and it is also illegal. In fact it is an anomaly! Cyprus has never sought nor wishes to have hostile relations with its neighbour, Turkey. But it is our responsibility to defend the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of our state.

Nevertheless, I would like from this august body to express my readiness to initiate dialogue with the Turkish leadership, in parallel to our negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot leader, to share ideas about the future, which would greatly enhance the chances of a positive outcome to the negotiations.

Cyprus has consistently supported the accession of Turkey to the European Union, in the belief that the whole adaptation process and Turkey’s eventual membership would benefit our neighbours, our region and us. However, this support is not unconditional. Turkey should fulfil its obligations towards the Republic of Cyprus as well as towards the European Union.

Mr. President,

I would like to state one more time that our Turkish Cypriot compatriots are equal citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, and that I personally will strive consistently for their rights and for finding their rightful place in all organs of the state.

My political roots are in the Progressive Peoples’ Movement of my country which always stood by the side of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots for peace and harmonious co-existence. Nevertheless, the rights of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots cannot be implemented at the expense of the rights of the bigger community, which is the Greek-Cypriot community. There must be mutual respect. I want to assure you that I will spare no effort in order to achieve a balanced and just solution which would restore the rights of the people as a whole.

We have all paid a heavy price - human, political and economic - and continue to pay a heavy price. The profits of lasting peace will be beneficial for the people of Cyprus, of Turkey and for the peoples of our region as a whole.

Real political leaders are not the ones who think of the next election but of the next generation. We have the responsibility to work together to achieve a lasting peace in our region.

I wish to the family of Nations a successful conclusion of the deliberations of the 64th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

I thank you.

The case of Varnava and Others V. Turkey

2009-09-18T21:59:00.004+03:00

ECHR finds Turkey guilty

(Cyprus Weekly) - STRASBOURG - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Friday found Turkey guilty in the case of a number of missing Greek Cypriots. It also ordered damages to be paid to their families.

Friday’s judgment of the Grand Chamber was in the case of Varnava and Others v. Turkey which dates back to 1990.

“(The Court) holds by sixteen votes to one that there has been a continuing violation of Article 2 of the Convention on account of the failure of the authorities of the respondent State to conduct an effective investigation into the fate of the nine men who disappeared in life-threatening circumstances,” said the 58-page-long judgment.

The applications were introduced before the Court in the name and on behalf of 18 Greek Cypriots.

The ECHR also ordered Turkey to pay, within three months, €12,000 per application, plus any tax that may be chargeable, in respect of non-pecuniary damages.

Also, to pay €8,000 per application, plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants or their heirs, in respect of costs and expenses.

The Recent Incident At The Limnitis Crossing Point

2009-09-04T17:39:00.004+03:00

It takes two to tango

(Cyprus Weekly) - The disappointing end to a much-anticipated pilgrimage to Morphou through Limnitis has come as a painful reminder of how difficult it is to reach a comprehensive settlement on this small island.

What was intended as a symbol of how the two communities can cast aside their differences – at least temporarily and for non-political reasons -- turned into a publicity nightmare for all those prodding the two leaders to rise above decades of suspicions to work together for reunification.

For if the Turks cannot allow bus loads of candle clutching villagers to drive – under U N escort – to a church ceremony and back, how on earth are they going to agree to cede territory to Greek Cypriots and participate in a European democracy based on consensus and compromise?

The 650 or so aggrieved pilgrims subjected to meticulous scrutiny of their documents by the occupation regime were victims of much more than a lengthy inconvenience. In blocking their pilgrimage, the Turkish side had reneged on their part of an agreement to engage in confidence building measures only weeks after the Cyprus government allowed 2,000 Turkish Cypriots to travel through the same point to ‘celebrate’ the 1967 bombing of Tillyria at the Kokkina enclave.

By preventing pilgrims from exercising a simple religious freedom, Turkish Cypriots sent a wrong message to Greek Cypriots, and the global community, that at the end of the day they insist on calling all the shots.

Hardly a good start to the supposedly constructive give-and-take needed for a successful outcome to the talks.

The government says it is committed to a settlement and will persevere in the talks in pursuit of a viable solution. In so doing it speaks for a sizable majority who are prepared to turn the other cheek in the hope that the island can be reunited.

But Greek Cypriots are growing increasingly weary of the apparent insincerity coming from the other side. Supporters of peace on this island would do well to understand that it takes two to tango.

Νέα μαρτυρία για σφαγή Ελληνοκυπρίων κατά την τουρκική εισβολή

2009-08-31T15:45:00.002+03:00

(H ΝΑΥΤΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΗ) - Μια νέα συγκλονιστική μαρτυρία Τουρκοκυπρίου για εν ψυχρώ σφαγή 320 Ελληνοκυπρίων αιχμαλώτων κατά την εισβολή του 1974 δημοσιεύει σήμερα η τουρκοκυπριακή εφημερίδα «Αφρίκα».

Σύμφωνα με την εφημερίδα, ο Τουρκοκύπριος δήλωσε ότι ήταν ένας από τους συνοδούς των αιχμαλώτων που μεταφέρθηκαν με οκτώ λεωφορεία -40 αιχμάλωτοι στο κάθε λεωφορείο- στο σημείο όπου είχε γίνει η απόβαση, δυτικά της Κερύνειας, προκειμένου να μεταφερθούν με πλοία σε φυλακές της Τουρκίας.

Όταν έφθασαν εκεί, είχε καταπλεύσει ένα πλοίο με Τούρκους στρατιώτες, οι οποίοι μόλις αποβιβάστηκαν και πληροφορήθηκαν ότι στα λεωφορεία βρίσκονταν Ελληνοκύπριοι αιχμάλωτοι, τους επιτέθηκαν με ξιφολόγχες και τους σκότωσαν με αγριότητα, μέχρι και τον τελευταίο. Ο Τουρκοκύπριος δήλωσε ότι η θάλασσα βάφτηκε κόκκινη από το αίμα των αιχμαλώτων. Όπως χαρακτηριστικά ανέφερε, και ο ίδιος φοβήθηκε για τη ζωή του γιατί η μανία των Τούρκων στρατιωτών ήταν τόση που υπήρχε κίνδυνος να σφάξουν και τους Τουρκοκύπριους που συνόδευαν τους Ελληνοκύπριους αιχμάλωτους.

Ο αυτόπτης μάρτυρας, που δεν θέλησε να αποκαλυφθεί το όνομά του, δήλωσε ότι οι 320 Ελληνοκύπριοι αιχμάλωτοι ίσως να τάφηκαν σε κάποιο χώρο κοντά στο ξενοδοχείο Μάρε Μόντε, το οποίο είχε λειτουργήσει λίγους μόνο μήνες πριν από την εισβολή.

Στη μαρτυρία του ο Τουρκοκύπριος ανέφερε ότι η σφαγή έγινε στα τέλη Αυγούστου του 1974, δηλαδή λίγες μέρες μετά την ολοκλήρωση της δεύτερης φάσης της τουρκικής εισβολής.

Πρόκειται για το μεγαλύτερο αριθμό εν ψυχρώ δολοφονηθέντων Ελληνοκυπρίων αιχμαλώτων, που έχει καταγραφεί με μαρτυρία.

ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ

320 Greek Cypriot prisoners of war were killed with a sword bayonet

2009-08-31T15:33:00.003+03:00

New mass execution revealed

(Cyprus Weekly) - NICOSIA - Another mass execution of Greek Cypriot POWs by the Turkish army comes to light 35 years after it took place during the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

The Turkish Cypriot daily “Afrika” quotes an eye witness, who kept his anonymity, that eight busloads of POWs were bayoneted and hacked to death as they waited to be shipped to Turkey.

The massacre took place towards the end of August 1974 when about 320 Greek Cypriot POWs were driven in buses to the Kyrenia coast to board a ship for their transport to Turkey.

According to the eye witness, as they waited new Turkish recruitments that had just landed attacked them and killed them all using their fixed bayonets or knives.

The eyewitness said the massacred Greek Cypriot may have been buried near the Mare Monte Hotel, not far from where they were killed.

War crimes 'were committed in Cyprus'

2009-08-19T13:53:00.001+03:00

(CNA) - War crimes were committed during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, Roger Gale, Conservative Member of the British Parliament has said in an interview with London Greek Radio.

Gale spoke about the remains of five Greek Cypriot prisoners of war, identified 35 years after they were killed, and thrown down a well, and stressed: “I think that the news that has come through confirms simply what most of us have always believed, which is that in the course of the Turkish invasion of Northern Cyprus war crimes were committed. That is a fact that needs to be fully and properly investigated by the appropriate authorities and the appropriate action taken. I would be saddened however if any such investigation were to delay the process of the retrieval of remains that can be identified because the most important thing I think is that families who have been waiting for news, have the news and are able to obtain at least some kind of closure”, he noted.

Asked what Britain can do to help solve this problem, Gale said he does not think “this is particularly a problem that Britain can involve itself in other way than as one of the guarantor powers. The process is one that is probably going to be hastened, if at all by the United Nations and the International Red Cross”, he added.

Cyprus soldier buried 35 years on

2009-08-15T06:33:00.019+03:00

(BBC) - The funeral has taken place in Cyprus of one of five Greek Cypriot prisoners of war killed during the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

Ioannis Papayiannis was one of five soldiers photographed surrendering to Turkish forces during the invasion.

The soldiers' bodies were identified this week, 35 years after they were killed and thrown down a well.

The remains were recovered from a well in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus in 2006 along with 14 other bodies.

Greece and Cyprus have called on Turkey to clear up all the cases of people who went missing during the invasion.

Limited remains

Draped in a Cypriot flag, the coffin of Ioannis Papayiannis was escorted into church by a military guard of honour, reports the BBC's Tabitha Morgan from Cyprus.

The coffin itself was very small, suggesting that forensic anthropologists had been able to retrieve only limited skeletal remains, says our correspondent.

At the front of the church members of the Papayiannis family stood to receive respects from the hundreds of mourners present.

Nicos Theodosiou, head of the Committee for the Relatives of Missing Persons, said he had has been to many funerals like this.

"I observed the parents going through pain of losing a son like the person died in a car accident the day before," he said.

"It doesn't make any difference that you were waiting and hoping and you knew at the back of your mind that maybe he's dead.

"It's a whole different thing to be given the remains and told these are the remains of your son - it's like he died yesterday."

For some families services such as this will enable them to move on, says our correspondent.

Others feel that while forensic science may provide answers to how their relatives died, they still want to see the killers brought to justice.

Execution of Greek Cypriot POWs

2009-08-14T20:54:00.003+03:00

The truth is still missing

(Cyprus Weekly) - Revelations about the summary execution of five Greek Cypriot POWs by the Turks in 1974 have shocked public opinion and rekindled painful memories.

For their families, it is ironic that they should be expected to find solace in news that their loved ones were shot in the head in cold blood and thrown down a well, despite international conventions safeguarding the lives of captured soldiers.

News that a Greek Cypriot family, including two invalid and bedridden children, was murdered by Turkish soldiers in their home in Lapithos that same tragic summer has only added to the fury.

Yet, despite the justified rage within the Greek Cypriot community, it is important for everyone to look beyond.

Relatives of the missing argue that the plight of their loved ones is a humanitarian matter that should not be used to score political points. Their focus, quite justifiably, has been to keep the issue away from politics so as to get to the truth.

But they have also made clear that this does not mean that those responsible should not be held to account for their actions.

Cynics may shrug their shoulders and argue that atrocities are inevitable in any armed conflict. In so doing, they are unwittingly perhaps, coming dangerously close to condoning a crime. Once they do, they are already half way down a slippery slope that negates a whole system of rules and conventions hammered together by the international community in the hope of ensuring a basic minimum of humanity – even in times of war.

That these rules have been blatantly broken too many times all over the world does not make it right.

The day will hopefully come when a Cyprus settlement is reached, and Turkey and Cyprus no longer see themselves as enemies. A full investigation that will bring those responsible of human rights violations during the 1974 invasion to trial will bring that day closer.

NYU Excavations Point to Temple Site on Island Off Cyprus

2009-08-14T20:39:00.003+03:00

New York University Digs in Cyprus Show Worship of God Apollo

By Paul Tugwell

Aug. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Archaeologists in Cyprus found evidence that an island off the Mediterranean country’s south- west coast was the site of a temple for worshiping Apollo, the ancient Greek god of light, prophecy, music and healing.

Excavations led by New York University on Geronisos unearthed fragments of pithoi, or storage vessels probably used to hold olive oil, that could be repaired to stand to a height of 1.20 meters, among the largest storage containers ever found on Cyprus, according to a statement today on the Web site of the Cypriot Interior Ministry’s Public Information Office.

The vessel fragments, which date from the 1st century B.C., were found in what appears to be a storeroom or pantry facility, probably servicing a complex of previously found dining rooms, the statement said.

The digs also unearthed a sculptured lion’s head that “would have been plastered and painted as a fitting adornment for a monumental structure, possibly a temple,” according to the statement.

Previous digs on the island showed that Geronisos was an ancient religious tourist center for worshiping Apollo, son of the king of the Greek gods, Zeus, and the nymph, Leto.

“The discovery of this storage facility represents an important breakthrough in our understanding of the experience of ancient pilgrims on Geronisos,” the Cyprus Department of Antiquities said in the statement, “and the ritual dining that seems to have taken place within the complex of rooms in the central south sector of the island.”

Cyprus marks 35th anniversary of second Turkish offensive

2009-08-14T20:03:00.002+03:00

(CNA) - Cyprus marks Friday the 35th anniversary of Turkey`s second offensive against the island in the summer of 1974 resulting in the occupation of the island’s northern third.

It was 14 August 1974 when Ankara`s representatives to the Geneva peace talks refused to give the Greek Cypriot representative time to consider their proposals and effectively presented Glafcos Clerides, former President of the Republic, with an ultimatum.

Turkish troops invaded Cyprus on 20 July 1974, five days after the legal government of the late Archbishop Makarios III was toppled by a military coup engineered by the military junta then ruling Greece.

Two unproductive conferences in Geneva followed; the first between Britain, Greece and Turkey and the second with the additional attendance of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot representatives.

Three weeks after a ceasefire was declared on 22 July, and despite the fact that talks were still being held and just as an agreement seemed about to be reached, the Turkish army mounted a second full-scale offensive.

As a result, Turkey increased its hold to include the booming tourist resort of Famagusta in the east and the rich citrus-growing area of Morphou in the west. All in all almost 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus came under Turkish military occupation.

Nearly one third of the population, some 200,000 Greek Cypriots, were forcibly uprooted from their homes and properties, thousands were killed during the hostilities, over 1,000 persons were listed as missing while thousands of Greek Cypriots and Maronites remained enclaved.

The European Court of Human Rights has found Turkey guilty of mass violations of human rights in Cyprus.

Over the years, a number of unsuccessful peace rounds were launched under the auspices of the United Nations to find a settlement. These efforts were short lived as they stumbled on the Turkish Cypriot side’s insistence to gain recognition for the puppet regime it set up in November 1983. Only Turkey has recognized the so-called regime which was branded by the Security Council ``legally invalid``.

Ankara has ignored numerous UN resolutions calling for respect of the sovereignty, the independence and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and the immediate withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops.

Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat began in September 2008 UN-led direct talks to achieve a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem and so far had 40 meetings covering the first reading of all main aspects of the Cyprus problem (Governance and power-sharing, property, territory, EU matters, economic matters and security).

The agreed solution, they added, will be put to separate simultaneous referenda.

The two leaders are scheduled to enter the second phase on September 3.

MP wants Turkey to own up on G/C prisoners of war

2009-08-12T22:53:00.003+03:00

(Cyprus Weekly) - NICOSIA – DISY MP and Vice President of the Committee on Human Rights of PACE, Christos Pourgourides called on Terry Davis, Council of Europe Secretary General, to ask the Turkish government for clarifications on what happened to Greek Cypriot prisoners of war.
Recent evidences suggests that soldiers were executed after being captured by Turkish army during Turkey’s invasion in 1974.

Pourgourides has also asked the President of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of PACE, German MP Herta Daubler-Gmelin, to include the issue on the agenda of the Committee’s next meeting in September.

Pourgourides -- through PACE -- has requested the Turkish government for full disclosure on what happened to Greek Cypriot soldiers. He will also underline that the execution of prisoners constitutes a war crime, therefore the Turkish government is obliged, according to the relevant decision of the ECHR, to proceed with a full investigation.

Cyprus missing persons

2009-08-10T18:55:00.016+03:00

These images below were released by the Cyprus Press and Information Office on Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. Greek Cypriot soldiers are pictured surrendering to advancing Turkish troops near Kiados or (Tziaos) village during the second phase of Turkey’s invasion of the island that started on August 14, 1974. The remains of the Greek Cypriot soldiers were recently identified after being unearthed from an abandoned well along with those of 14 other individuals in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of the island.

(Click Images to Enlarge)

More on this from Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras:

FM spokesman on Cyprus POWs

Foreign ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras said on Monday that the crimes and flagrant violations of international and humanitarian law by Turkey during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus were confirmed by the identification of the remains of Greek Cypriot prisoners found in a mass grave in an occupied village in Cyprus.

The remains of five Greek Cypriot prisoners of war (POWs) missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus that were found in exhumations being carried out by the Investigation Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) at a mass grave in the Turkish-occupied village of Tziaos, have been identified through DNA testing, it was learned on the weekend. The remains of 14 other people were also found in the mass grave.

Replying to press questions on the identification of the remains of five of the 19 persons found in the mass grave as belonging to Greek Cypriot National Guard soldiers, Delavekouras made the following statement:

"These findings, as well as the information on the murder of the Greek Cypriot family in Lapithos, confirm the crimes and the flagrant violations of international and humanitarian law perpetrated during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

"At long last, we need to see the full implementation of the relevant rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, which call for Turkey to take all the necessary measures to clear up all of the cases of persons who went missing during the Turkish invasion. An end must be put to the anguish experienced daily for 35 years now by the families of missing persons.

"As this particular case has shown, the work of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) is of vital importance in the efforts to make progress on this issue. We need to ensure the success of the CMP's humanitarian mission and its continued smooth and effective operation."

CYPRUS’ RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE IN PERIL

2009-07-23T04:19:00.005+03:00

COMMISSION ON SECURITY & COOPERATION IN EUROPE:
U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION

BRIEFING:
CYPRUS’ RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE IN PERIL

WITNESSES:
DR. CHARALAMPOS CHOTZAKOGLOU,
PROFESSOR OF BYZANTINE ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY, HELLENIC OPEN UNIVERSITY AND MUSEUM
OF KYKKOS MONASTERY

DR. KLAUS GALLAS,
ART HISTORIAN AND BYZANTINE EXPERT

MICHAEL JANSEN,
AUTHOR,
“WAR AND CULTURAL HERITAGE:
CYPRUS AFTER THE 1974 TURKISH INVASION”

THE HEARING WAS HELD FROM 2:02 P.M. TO 3:02 P.M. IN B-318 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE
BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C., [RONALD J. MCNAMARA, POLICY ADVISOR, CSCE],
MODERATING

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2009

RONALD MCNAMARA: Great, if you could take your seats, please. Welcome to this
briefing of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. My name is
Ron McNamara and I’ll be serving as the moderator for this afternoon’s briefing
presentations.

At the outset, let me express apologies because the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee is having a business meeting right now which requires our chairman,
Senator Cardin’s participation. And then, as things go on Capitol Hill, the
House of Representatives has scheduled the official photograph of the members
of the 111th Congress to be taken just prior to the briefing. So there may be
a number of members and commission members coming in and out and we certainly
will accommodate them when they appear.

I’m pleased to welcome you to this commission briefing on “Cyprus’ Religious
Cultural Heritage in Peril.” Today’s session is part of the commission’s
ongoing efforts to assess implementation of OSCE commitments by participating
states. In 1991, those states gathered in Cracow, Poland, for the Symposium on
the Cultural Heritage. The document agreed to by all countries at that meeting
included language particularly relevant to the issue before us this afternoon.

The OSCE acknowledged the important contribution of religious faiths,
institutions and organizations to the cultural heritage and committed
themselves to cooperate closely with such groups regarding the preservation of
the cultural heritage, paying due attention to monuments and objects of
religious origin whose original communities no longer use them or no longer
exist in the particular region.

Given its particular applicability to the situation in northern Cyprus, I would
repeat that last part of the text: “whose original communities no longer use
them or no longer exist in the particular region.”

In stark contrast to the situation in the North, which I recently had an
opportunity to visit, scores of mosques and other Islamic places of worship are
maintained by the Cypriot government in the southern part of the country.

Against this backdrop, the commission requested that the law Library of
Congress prepare a report on relevant international law governing protection
and preservation of religious cultural heritage. We appreciate the assistance
that was rendered by the library’s staff and I’m pleased to make that report
available via the commission’s Web site. So if you visit our Web site after
the conclusion of the briefing and click on www.csce.gov you should be able to
access that particular report prepared by the law Library of Congress. As part
of the commission’s investigation into these matters, I also, as I mentioned,
had an opportunity to recently visit that part of Cyprus.

Earlier this month, the OSCE parliamentary assembly adopted a series of
resolutions by one of our commission members, Senator Wicker, that called upon
all participating states: to implement their OSCE commitments and international
obligations; to ensure the preservation and protection of religious cultural
heritage sites including churches, chapels and monasteries as well as monuments
and objects of religious origin; to prevent the theft, clandestine excavation
and illicit export, import or transfer of ownership of cultural property; to
enhance their cooperation in efforts to prevent the illicit international
trafficking in objects of religious origin and other cultural property; and to
facilitate the restitution of illicitly exported cultural property; to help us
focus attention on the scope of the damage and destruction to Cyprus’ rich
religious cultural heritage in the northern part of the country.

I’m pleased to introduce our panelists (sic) of experts this afternoon. We’ll
start with Ms. Michael Jansen, an author and veteran journalist who has written
extensively on the destruction of cultural heritage in northern Cyprus. She is
the author of “War and Cultural Heritage: Cyprus after the 1974 Turkish
Invasion.”

Next we’ll here from Dr. Chotzakoglou, professor of Byzantine art and
archeology at the Hellenic Open University and the Museum of Kykkos Monastery.
He is the author of, “Religious Monuments in Turkish-Occupied Cyprus: Evidence
and Acts of Continuous Destruction.”

And, finally, we will hear from Dr. Klaus Gallas, an art historian and
Byzantine expert who has focused international attention on international art
smuggling of icons and other religious and archeological artifacts plundered
from northern Cyprus.

At the conclusion of the formal presentations and our briefing, I will invite
members of the audience who are interested and have time to be present for the
screening of an 18-minute video produced by Dr. Gallas entitled, “Where Heaven
Falls Prey to Thieves.”

Thank you for your presence this afternoon and I turn the floor over to Ms.
Jansen.

MICHAEL JANSEN: Thank you, Mr. McNamara. I am very pleased to be here and
very honored to speak to the Helsinki Commission. The looting of Cyprus’
cultural heritage is not only a crime against Cyprus but a crime against
humanity. We all are diminished by cultural loss of any kind. As a journalist
based in the Eastern Mediterranean, I have seen a great deal of war, the
scourge of the world’s cultural heritage.

Indeed, we are just picking up the pieces of the wanton destruction of Europe’s
heritage during World War II. What has happened since Turkey occupied northern
Cyprus 35 years ago has been even more dramatic than what took place in Europe.

The devastation is comprehensive and has taken place in a small area.
Churches, chapels, monasteries, libraries, museums and private collections of
religious art and antiquities were looted. Religious and historical sites have
been damaged, ravaged and destroyed. While the focus of this meeting is on the
island’s religious heritage, this is rooted in 12,000 years of history which
came before St. Paul and St. Barnabas brought Christianity to Cyprus.

The cleansing of religious and historical sites began as soon as Turkish troops
set foot in northern Cyprus on July 20, 1974, and continues until today.
Cultural cleansing proceeded in parallel with the ethnic cleansing of 162,000
Greek Cypriots living in the area occupied by Turkey. When the first phase of
the cleansing process ended in 1976, 158,000 Greek Cypriots had been driven
into the government-controlled south. Pillage was both random and conducted by
professional thieves and smugglers.

While gathering material for my book, “War and Cultural Heritage,” I
interviewed Dutch icon dealer Michel Van Rijn, who was in the North during July
1974. As he made his way to Nicosia along roads clogged with refugees, he saw
Turkish soldiers throwing icons from looted churches onto burning pyres. My
husband, a correspondent for The Economist of London, visited the area in
September 1974 and found that churches were open to both looters and vandals.
Nothing had been done to secure the churches when I went there in February
1975. Looters not only ravaged art but also, in the process of plundering,
destroyed religious buildings and archaeological sites.

During the second phase of the cultural cleansing of Cyprus, from 1977 through
1979, the number of Greek Cypriots residing in the North was reduced from 3,600
to 200 – 2,000, while specific treasures were targeted by local networks of
icons and antiquities smugglers.

The pillage was directed by Aydin Dikmen, a major Turkish black market dealer
in Munich. He had developed close connections with Turkish Cypriot looters and
smugglers well before 1974. The third phase began in 1980 and is ongoing.
Today fewer than 500 Greek Cypriots, most of them elderly, remain in enclaves
in the occupied North.

Theft continues from known and newly discovered archaeological sites and
illegal excavations are being conducted by Turkish archaeologists. Both church
buildings and historical sites are falling into rack and ruin due to neglect or
being exploited or bulldozed by developers.

Turkey is directly responsible for whatever takes place in northern Cyprus.
The cultural cleansing of the area could have been averted or curbed if Ankara
had honored its signature on the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of
cultural heritage during war and occupation. But Turkey did not meet its
commitments.

There were several opportunities for the international community to press
Turkey to do so. The first came in 1974, ’75, before looting had become
widespread or focused on specific treasures. In mid-September 1974, less than
a month after the ceasefire, a Turkish team of experts visited northern Cyprus
and recommended that an inventory be made of both archaeological and church
treasures and that a senior archaeologist should be appointed to protect and
preserve cultural property.

In early October of that year, two experts from UNESCO toured sites in both
north and south and found war damage was slight. They called for the
appointment of a counselor for cultural heritage to supervise conservation and
restoration. UNESCO sent Canadian scholar, Jacques Dalibard, to Cyprus in
February 1975. He concluded that the establishment – uh, sorry. He concluded
that Cyprus should be regarded as “one huge monument” and called for the
establishment of a permanent presence in the North to supervise the protection
and restoration of antiquities and churches.

UNESCO suppressed the report, his life was threatened and nothing was done.
Between 1982 and 1989, European initiatives provided fresh opportunities to
halt depredation and destruction. These were undertaken by a subcommittee of
the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe and Europa Nostra. The
former dispatched a mission to Cyprus. It reported that most of the damage has
occurred in the North and is the result of looting evidently linked with a
highly professional international market in illegally exported art. Nothing
was done.

An opportunity also presented itself in 1989. This was the landmark trial in
Indianapolis where a judge ordered a local art dealer to return to Cyprus four
segments of an early 6th-century mosaic composition. These had been stripped
by Dikmen’s agents from a church in northern Cyprus.

The judge awarded the mosaics to Cyprus on the ground that, quote, “a thief
obtains no title or right of possession of stolen items,” unquote. Therefore,
quote, “a thief cannot pass on any right of ownership to subsequent
purchasers,” unquote. Nothing was done about Dikmen or continuing pillage and
destruction of the cultural heritage of Cyprus.

An opportunity to put Dikmen out of business was presented to Germany in 1970 –
1997 when the Munich police helped Van Rijn, poacher turned game keeper by this
time, to mount a sting operation designed to return stolen icons and
antiquities to Cyprus. Dikmen’s hoard of 8,000 items was seized; hundreds of
Cypriot artifacts were identified. Dikmen was put in prison.

He was released after a year and the treasures remain in Munich. Turkey may
not have set out to pillage and destroy the cultural heritage of northern
Cyprus, but Ankara did set out to change the area’s identity. Ankara cleansed
the Greek Cypriots and erased the Hellenic character of the North by replacing
Greek place names with Turkish names.

Turkey also collaborated in the destruction of the North’s dominant Christian
culture by allowing churches to collapse due to neglect or to be looted and to
be used as cinemas, restaurants, store houses and goat pens

Hundreds of churches and chapels, frescoes and icons had survived in the North
until the last quarter of the 20th century and provided spiritual uplift to
local Christian communities. Finally, I would like to suggest that the CSCE
has some responsibility for the division and ethnic and cultural cleansing of
Cyprus. As the Helsinki Accord was being negotiated, the Greek military junta
made a coup against the legitimate Cyprus government. Turkey occupied more
than 36 percent of island and Britain did nothing.

These three countries were guarantors of the island’s independence and
sovereignty. The OSCE also did nothing. The least the OSCE can do today is to
press Ankara to halt the destruction of Christian sites and illegal
archaeological excavations and stop traffic in icons and antiquities. Turkey
should also allow for the preservation and restoration of religious and
cultural sites. The OSCE should ensure that member states do not receive
stolen Cypriot art and antiquities. Thank you very much.

MR. MCNAMARA: Thank you very much. Our next speaker will be Dr. Chotzakoglou.
On the monitor to your right will be an ongoing slide presentation of images
that he has brought for this afternoon’s briefing.

CHARALAMPOS CHOTZAKOGLOU: I too would like to thank the Helsinki Commission
for inviting me to testify on an issue which I believe is of great importance.
Your decision to hold this briefing clearly indicates the seriousness and
concern of the issue under discussion.

Yesterday, in fact, marked 35 years since the Turkish invasion and occupation
of Cyprus which forcibly separated Greek and Turkish Cypriots along ethnic
lines and resulted in the destruction and desecration of Cyprus’ religious
cultural heritage in the occupied area.

In April 2003, the Turkish forces partially lifted the restrictions imposed on
crossings to and from the occupied area. This was the first time since 1974
that it was possible for Greek Cypriots to visit there. At that time I was
teaching at the University of Cyprus as visiting professor of medieval
Byzantine art, archaeology and architecture.

In cooperation with the nongovernmental Kykkos Museum, I recruited a team of
experts and proceeded to the detailed examination and photographic
documentation of every accessible religious monument in the occupied area. I
also sought to describe the state of conservation of the buildings,
mural/mosaic decoration and movable property.

Today the project is completed – after I was arrested twice by the Turkish
military police – and I can report to you that we possess a database of
approximately 20,000 photographs as well as a collection of photographic and
archive material of the monuments before 1974.

In some of these photographs you are going to see there, you can see the same
monument before 1974 and today, the situation today after the invasion. A
comparison of the monuments before and after the Turkish invasion easily shows
the scope of destruction and desecration.

Around 500 churches and religious sites belonging to the Greek-Orthodox
Autocephalous Church of Cyprus, the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem,
the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai, the Roman Catholic Church, the
Catholic-Armenian Church, the Catholic-Maronite Church, the Jewish community,
as well as the Protestant Church, along with their cemeteries have been
willfully desecrated, pillaged, looted and destroyed.

Furthermore, a considerable number of Christian churches have been converted
into military camps, mosques, stables, hencoops, ox and sheep stalls. In
addition, some are being used today as wheat chambers, storerooms and granaries
while a number were rented or sold to private individuals, who use them as art
studios, carpentry workshops, parking stations, coffee shops, residences,
cultural centers, gym centers, ceramic workshops, hotels, pubs, theaters,
nightclubs, museums, ottoman baths – hamam, sport clubs and dancing schools.
The Church of the Savior in the Chrysiliou village is used today as a mortuary.

UNESCO Report 25 of December 1984 states that “The Republic of Cyprus had
repeatedly applied to UNESCO and asked the mission of observers to report on
the condition of the monuments. So far the mission has met with the refusal of
the Turkish occupation regime.

Similarly, the Council of Europe, after a strict inspection of some occupied
churches, highlighted in a 1989 report the severe condition of the buildings
and requested their immediate conservation. The Church of Cyprus and the
government as well as societies, institutions, foundations, church committees
and individuals have tried unsuccessfully to get permission to restore, repair
and maintain their churches.

The archbishop of Cyprus proposed repeatedly to fund any needed restoration of
Muslim religious places in the North in addition to the funds provided by the
government. A mutual reaction regarding the permission of similar restoration
of the Christian monuments in the North never came.

Also, a commission of the Church of Cyprus for the religious heritage in Cyprus
was founded in 2008 where I am taking also part as an expert. But there was
again no response from the Turkish side.

Similarly, the declaration of the European parliament on September 5, 2006, on
the obligation of protection and conservation of the religious heritage in the
occupied area of Cyprus along with funding amounting to half-a-million euro for
that purpose met again with the Turkish refusal.

The direct responsibility of Turkey concerning the occupied area is clearly
stated in the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the Fourth
Interstate Application of Cyprus against Turkey of May 10, 2001. Its decision
– in its decision, the European Court of Human Rights stated inter alia that
Turkey, quote “having effective overall control over northern Cyprus, its
responsibility cannot be confined to the acts of its own soldiers or officials
in northern Cyprus but must be also engaged by virtue of the acts of the local
administration which survives by virtue of Turkey’s military and other support.

The movable property of almost every church was looted. Most of the mural or
mosaic decorations were stripped away and a considerable number were located in
international art markets abroad. Some well-known legal cases, as the
Kanakaria case, Indianapolis court; the Antiphonitis case, Rotterdam court; the
Dikmen case, Munich court, as well as the published study of Ms. Jansen
demonstrate and prove the involvement and activity of Turkish looters in the
occupied areas.

Furthermore, cases as the stripped away of 13th-century frescos of the Lysi
chapel – now in Houston – and icons of the Koutzoventis monastery demonstrate
in the most obvious way the cooperation and involvement of the Turkish armed
forces in the illicit trade. Both the above-mentioned churches were situated
in areas under the direct control of the Turkish military. And the icons and
frescos were located later in the United States, Germany and in Holland.

There is no religious freedom in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus for
non-Muslims since all of the communities I referred to earlier are either not
free or severely restricted in their exercise of religious services, praying
and maintaining the graves of their ancestors.

They do not have the right of staying in their monasteries and convents nor the
rights to have free religious elections, ordination of priests, building or
repairing their churches or administrating their religious property. Even in
the cases of a handful of churches operating in the occupied eastern Karpas
Peninsula where the remaining Greek Cypriots enclaved are, the illegal regime
confiscated icons and still collects all donations and offerings of the
pilgrims who, since 2003, can only visit these churches.

The clergy and particularly the bishops are not allowed to hold services, a
fact proven also by the two, three exceptions after the invention mainly of the
United States Embassy in Nicosia and UNFICYP.

Even four days ago on July 17th, after repeated intervention of UNFICYP,
permission was granted only to Greek Cypriot refugees of the occupied village
of Kythrea to hold a service in their desecrated church – but only for 50
persons and one priest whose names had to be sent in advance and approved by
the illegal regime and only under the presence and surveillance of the Turkish
military.

Bishops, as the metropolitans of Carpasia, Famagusta, Tamasos, Kykkos or the
Armenian archbishop have been repeatedly prevented by the Turkish army from
holding religious services in occupied churches although they had previously
received permission from the illegal regime through UNFICYP.

Therefore I was surprised to read the 2008 International Religious Freedom
Report of the U.S. Department of State that, quote, “However, the politically
divisive environment on Cyprus engendered some restrictions on religious
freedom, particularly for Greek Cypriots, Armenians and Maronites,” the report
added that “the Turkish Cypriot authorities generally respected religious
freedom in practice.”

This blatantly ignores the inaccessibility for religious services to both the
Greek Orthodox churches and to the other faiths that I had mentioned above,
including a Jewish cemetery and synagogue situated in the Turkish military camp
of Margo.

The religious culture of the northern part of the island is changing because of
the importation of over 160,000 mainland Turkish settlers who are
overwhelmingly more conservative than the Turkish Cypriots.

This is the reality of the situation in the Turkish-occupied area. In total
contrast, the government of the Republic of Cyprus, through the Turkish Cypriot
Properties Management Service and the Department of Antiquities repairs and
maintains mosques and Muslim places of Worship in the government-controlled
area, 17 of which, have been declared as “ancient monuments,” allowing the free
exercise of their religious services.

Though a technical committee composed of members of both communities was
established a year ago, in the framework of the current negotiations for a
Cyprus solution to work jointly on restoration and preservation issues, there
have been no tangible results to date.

On the contrary, during this period of the negotiations of this committee, the
18th-century church of St. Catherine in the occupied village of Gerani was
demolished. By accident we had this church on the front piece of our book.

Allow me to thank you again for your invitation to speak on the religious
cultural heritage of Cyprus in peril and I am at your disposal for any
questions on the issue.

MR. MCNAMARA: Thank you very much. Dr. Gallas?

KLAUS GALLAS: First, I would like to thank the members of the commission for
allowing me to testify before you on the use of Cyprus’ religious cultural
heritage in peril. There is still no complete case-by-case documentation of
the art thefts that have been growing catastrophically in both number and
seriousness ever since the start of the Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus.
But there is no question that since the day of the invasion, July 20, 1974,
such internationally organized thefts and the accompanying illegal trade in
works of art plundered from churches in the Turkish-occupied sector – some of
which form part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage – have multiplied to a
worrying extent.

One shocking instance that typifies this plundering and illegal trading is the
Dikmen case, the most spectacular example of international theft recorded by
the Bavarian central department of crime. It culminated in a court case in
Indianapolis in 1989 against the American art dealer Peggy Goldberg which was
successfully pursued by the Church of Cyprus and the government of Cyprus.

It concerned the 6th century mosaics in the apse of the Panagia Kanakari Church
on the Karpasia Peninsula. Parts of these are now in the Byzantine museum in
Nicosia. Probably the first major account of the barbaric desecration and
destruction of Christian heritage within the Turkish occupied area was the one
by myself that appeared in the German national newspaper, the Frankfurter
Allgemeine on March 30, 1990.

A striking example of this desecration is the Ajios Euphemianos Church about a
mile outside the old center of Lysi, to the west of Famagusta. When I first
visited the little church prior to 1974, I was overwhelmed by the glowing
colors and expressive features of the Byzantine murals dating from the 14th
century. But when I returned to Lysi in 1989, long after the start of the
Turkish occupation in northern Cyprus, I found that things in the village were
completely changed. Even the altered name of the place, the Turkish
designation “Akdogan” clearly indicated the intention of the Turkish occupying
powers: eradication of every cultural reminder of established historical
structures on the island.

The little church of Agios Euphemianos was difficult to locate it because it
was enveloped now by the Turkish barracks. How was it possible for this jewel
of Byzantine creativity to have fallen victim to international art thieves
under the very noses of the watchful Turkish soldiers?

The removal of all the precious frescoes from the walls and ceiling-domes in a
professional manner and their transportation abroad in an undamaged state is
something that would have taken the robbers days, if not weeks.

Scaffolding would have had to be erected; tools and materials would have had to
be carried to the church through or around the outside of the barracks. And
then there would have been the whole business of exporting the works of art.
This, too, would have meant having the right contacts and connections. Nothing
could have been done without the permission of the Turkish occupation forces.

In this context, there is also a mystery concerning the export license by the
so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for the 6th century Golden
Mosaics of the Panagia Church on the Karpas Peninsula, which was signed at the
time by Osman Orek. Until 1963, he was defense minister in the Makarios
government. And from 1974 onwards, the right-hand man of Rauf Denktash, the
leader of the Turkish Cypriot community.

Later on, Orek declared the documents to have been a forgery. In 1988, Peggy
Goldberg, a U.S. citizen, had acquired these mosaics and attempted to market
them illegally for US$1.2 million. What followed was the celebrated court case
in Indianapolis that ended in the autumn of 1989 with the decision by Federal
Judge Noland in favor of the Republic of Cyprus and the Church of Cyprus. This
was a uniquely important decision by the U.S. court.

This case is symptomatic of the organized crime of ripping items of cultural
heritage out of their context and, by doing so, destroying them forever. Only
in rare instances has the government of Cyprus and the Church of Cyprus
succeeded up to now in securing the return of stolen artworks to Cyprus, either
through court dispensations or by buying them back. The route taken by the
works of art is usually from the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus to either
Munich or Amsterdam, then from there to Zurich and on to the USA.

Following a house search of Aydin Dikmen’s premises and subsequent
confiscation, the police in Munich is certainly holding Byzantine mosaics,
frescoes and icons, presumed to be from the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus, to
the value of more than 30 million euros.

Meanwhile the legal proceedings against Aydin Dikmen have been dragging on for
more than 10 years without a conclusion. For mosaics and frescoes,
identification is less of a problem. They are usually quite easy to ascribe to
a particular historical monument. Icons, on the other hand, are hard to pin
down.

The Republic of Cyprus may have secured the judgment in Indianapolis but it was
less successful in its efforts to secure the return of the Lysi frescos,
notwithstanding the fact that they could not now be sold to unscrupulous
collectors.

It was Aydin Dikmen who, in 1985, also sold the Lysi frescoes to America. The
De Menil Foundation in Houston, Texas, acquired these immensely valuable 13th
century frescoes for just 850,000 U.S. dollars. The interior of the Lysi
chapel was then reconstructed true to the original within the halls of the
foundation’s museum so as to allow the frescoes to be displayed exactly as they
had appeared in situ.

The De Menil Foundation broke new ground in the details of this arrangement.
When it was offered the frescoes, it side-stepped all the importation rules,
negotiated directly with the Church of Cyprus, made an agreement for a
long-term assignment until 2012, bought the frescoes, had them restored and in
effect rescued this entire endangered piece of cultural heritage.

All the same, there are also some hidden dangers in this modus operandi. It
lends strength and encouragement to unprincipled art thieves by signaling to
them that they will always be able to make a profit, one way or the other, from
their stolen goods. Maybe what is needed here to nip thieves in the bud is an
international certificate for the buying and selling of works of art, complete
with details of provenance.

I wish to bring in another example to support the view that art theft in the
Turkish-occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus was usually only possible when
it was tolerated or happened under the watchful eye of the Turkish military.
On the south coast of the island, only a mile from Kyrenia, stands the
Acheiropiitos Monastery, a dignified complex dating from the 11th century that
was erected on the foundations of an early Christian settlement including a
basilica. The monastery used to be a treasure house of Byzantine icons dating
from a variety of centuries – but what has become of these treasures?

During a visit that I paid recently, gaining access to the monastery looked as
if it would be impossible. Just as in the autumn of 1989, the Turkish forces
were still ensconced in its handsome rooms. But after repeated attempts on my
part to be allowed in, the officers and men suddenly appeared helpful and I was
permitted to enter.

Of the once-magnificent display of icons there was nothing to be seen. Only
the richly carved pulpit from 1819, with its touches of gold leaf, and the
remains of the Ikonostase, bereft of all icons, gave a faint indication of the
former glories of this empty chamber. How could this desecration of Christian
cultural heritage have come about right in the middle of the Turkish military
camp? How could all these precious icons have been taken down and carried off
from a monastery that was actually occupied by Turkish officers and men?

The loss to Cyprus and to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage is unimaginable. It
can be assumed that the amount of booty we are aware of is only a fraction of
the material that has actually been stolen from the Orthodox churches of
Cyprus, which begs the question: how many treasures altogether have actually
been taken between 1974 and 2009 and are now lost to us forever through having
already been sold to collectors in all corners of the world? How many fortunes
have the art thieves amassed for themselves in the meantime through these
outrageous acts? They must amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. None of
the plundered churches will ever sparkle again as they did in the light of days
gone by.

My greatest wish, which ties in with the appeal of the Helsinki Commission, is
that in the very near future, the many works of art that they have stolen, and
in part still remain missing, should be restored to Cyprus. Only through
solidarity and joint action against worldwide art theft, as well as against the
barbaric destruction and desecration of examples of UNESCO’s World Heritage,
can we keep alive our historical roots and our cultural identity.

I thank the commission for my speaking.

MR. MCNAMARA: Thank you very much, Dr. Gallas. And I would want to
acknowledge the presence of Senator Sarbanes, who has joined us this afternoon.
I thought perhaps another member of the family might be stopping by. But I do
have a number of questions that I’d like to pose. And just for your
information, the still photographs displayed are ones that I took during my
recent trip. I had an opportunity to spend two days in the northern part of
the country and, driving around, just asked the driver to pull over to a
village quite randomly – that I determined – and these were some of the many
photographs that I was able to take during that time, including this one of a
church near the Karpas region, used obviously as a storage facility. Of the 20
or so churches that I stopped into randomly in villages and so forth, none of
them were intact. Most of them were populated by pigeons, with pigeon
droppings that would be unimaginable, actually, and probably quite unhealthy.

But I did have a number of questions. Obviously the destruction has taken
place over a period of time. And you did mention the church on the cover of
your book as a recent example. But I wonder if you could cite any additional
examples just to underscore the fact that this is an activity that’s ongoing
and not one that may have taken place 35 years ago in the immediate aftermath
of the military activity, but is, again, something that’s a current issue as
well.

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: In the book, there’s a reference of more than 15 churches
which were pulled down recently. I say “recently” – in the last five years.
And there are the names, also, of the churches. And in most cases, we have the
possibility to have photographs before they were destroyed. And also, we have
cases that, after 2003, it was possible to enter and to see the icon museum in
Kyrenia. The Turks made an icon museum in Kyrenia to demonstrate that they
respect the monuments and the icons. But I have to say that most of the icons
there are of the 20th century.

On the first day, we saw three or four icons of the 16th century. Today, these
icons are not there. And two of these icons were located in Zurich, in
Switzerland –

MR. MCNAMARA: This recent case, yes?

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: This recent case. And we tried, now, with Interpol to –
they confiscated – the police authorities in Switzerland – they confiscated
these icons. And we hope to get them back.

MR. MCNAMARA: Any other – okay. There were a number of – a couple of you,
excuse me – referenced military installations and, certainly, a number of the
churches and monasteries I visited were in close proximity, certainly within
easy distance of the Turkish forces. So I wondered if you could discuss the
question of the inclusion of religious sites within military exclusion zones in
the region. Or whoever wishes to –

MS. JANSEN: I’d just like to say one thing. The point is that a great deal of
the territory of the northern part of Cyprus has been taken up with military
bases. And it’s very difficult to travel around that area without noting that
you pass a great many military bases. And some major Greek Cypriot Orthodox
churches were in these military bases. And some were looted by the soldiery
soon after the north was taken over.

And then, Aydin Dikmen, who claimed to have close connections with the Turkish
military, he was also allowed in to do some of the looting there – in the
military areas, which shows that there was collusion between Dikmen and the
military.

There was also collusion in the sense that he was allowed to take his large
crates of icons and other material – archeological material – out of the area
without hindrance. And at one point, he was actually arrested and held by the
Turkish authorities in northern Cyprus. But as a friend of mine says, his wife
turned up with a big bag of money and he was out the next day.

So this was the problem: There was collusion on one hand and then there was
exoneration on the other. So Dikmen was able to proceed with his looting of
northern Cyprus without any kind of obstruction from the authorities which were
governing the area.

MR. GALLAS: I will speak in German and we have a translator. My English is
not so good.

MR.: Dr. Gallas would like to say that it is important to him to note that
he’s not attacking, if I may use that word, the Turkish government, but that it
is important to preserve and protect the theft. He believes that nothing could
take place without the supervision and eyes of the Turkish military.

The problem with the Dikmen case is following the evidence. And he has been
researching the case for the last 10 years. As he has referred to previously,
it’s easy to identify a fresco in a certain church. The difficulty is with the
icons because the school of icon painting exported them to many different
countries. And Dikmen says it’s hard to say which came from where. And Dikmen
claims that all those icons that can definitely be identified will be returned,
but he gets all the others that are not definitely identified. And we’re
talking about artifacts that are the value of 30 million euro.

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: I’d like just to make a statement. I read today, in the
Washington Times, an article on our hearing today. And there is a statement
that these things which were stolen with the help of the Turkish military
troops or with the help of other authorities in northern Cyprus, have been
smuggled out of Cyprus mostly through the southern part of the island.

We have to underline that in that case, we have a lot of cases, we have a lot
of icons, which were smuggled out of the port of Kyrenia and Mrs. Jansen can
describe, also, the whole thing from eyewitnesses, but that icons which were
smuggled out of Cyprus from the southern part of the island were not smuggled
out in a – in a bigger export – because already in 1976, the high commissioner
for the refugees, the Austrian, Alfred Seglipe (ph). He was also arrested by
the police. He was there to protect the refugees and he was taking part in
illicit trade of antiquities.

So in such cases, we know from other eyewitnesses that with the help of the
Finnish United Nations peacekeeping force, a lot of icons were smuggled out of
the Larnaca port and were sent to Germany. So these cases that are known were
not, of course, smuggled out to these things legally, but illegally, without,
of course, the knowledge of the legitimate authorities of the Republic of
Cyprus. Thank you.

MR. MCNAMARA: Sure. There has been some reference to UNESCO, which obviously
has a unique mission throughout the world for protection of cultural heritage.
And I wondered if anyone could elaborate a little further. I know that there
was a mention regarding an early-on assessment or study by UNESCO. But I
wonder to the extent that this issue is actively pursued within the context of
that organization.

MS. JANSEN: UNESCO, as I said earlier, suppressed the report, which was
written by Jacques Dalibard. This report was 120 pages long and quite
detailed. He wasn’t allowed to go to all of the monuments, all of the churches
or all of the archeological sites. He was only allowed to go to a certain
number. And his report was actually kept under wraps until about two years
ago. UNESCO really did nothing about this situation at all.

And this whole business was repeated. In the aftermath of the invasion and
occupation of Iraq in 2003, UNESCO sent a mission to Baghdad. And they
reported on the same sort of activity – dealing with the Iraq museum and also
some of the sites. And I attended – I went with the mission to Baghdad. And
UNESCO has done nothing about getting things back to Iraq, which were stolen
during this period. And in fact, Iraq is being plundered as we speak. And
whole sites are being destroyed by people who are actually doing industrial
farming of archeological sites.

The main problem is that whenever there is war or civil war or some kind of
unrest or even natural disaster, the cultural heritage of countries which
suffer these situations gets destroyed and also looted and exported. The
United States has done some good things. It has signed a memorandum of
understanding with Cyprus and with Iraq. And material is being returned.

Also, one must take into account the effect of the case in Indianapolis. That
case produced a very important judgment: that the thief doesn’t have any right
to what he has stolen. And that case has a tremendous impact on museums around
the world and on countries which are seeking to repatriate their cultural
heritage.

Italy has very aggressively pursued its stolen cultural heritage. It has
received back some very important items. The Getty Museum in California has
had to give back items. And Greece is pursuing its stolen heritage.

So the case in Indianapolis has changed the picture for museums and for
collectors who are trying to look legitimate. Now it is no longer possible to
buy stolen antiquities, art, icons, whatever, and claim that we bought this in
good faith; we didn’t know it was stolen. This good faith clause is now out of
the picture.

So what the illicit dealers do now, of course, is they manufacture provenance,
which is creating some kind of false document so that they can sell the
material to museums or to auction houses or to private collectors. And of
course, this is a growing industry. But people who are really seriously
interested in pursuing stolen items can prove that these documents are not
legal and reclaim the items.

One of the cases – the important case in this particular example, which I can
think of, is the case of a Greek crater for mixing wine, which was given false
provenance by the Metropolitan Museum in New York. It belonged to Greece, and
they gave it the provenance of another piece, which had been sitting in a bank
in Beirut for many years, which was not the complete one, whereas the one that
the Metropolitan Museum had was a beautifully restored, complete, very large
wine jug. So as I say, you must never underestimate the importance of that
decision in Indianapolis on the Cypriot mosaics. Thank you.

MR. MCNAMARA: Thank you. There was a reference made to the technical group
that’s supporting the talks between President Christofias and Mr. Talat. And I
just wondered, because I know that there is some description of sort of the
mandate that they’re supposed to undertake – identification of sites and so
forth – and I wonder, has anything happened – obviously, there is a large array
of issues that the leaders and their colleagues are trying to grapple with, but
I just wondered if you could give us any information on that aspect of the
ongoing talks?

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: I do know the activity of this committee, because before
they began, they were founded one year ago. Turkish Cypriots and Greek
Cypriots are taking part, and they visited also the Kykkos Museum in order to
get information on the work we have done and also other institutions. And
after one year of cooperation and meetings, unfortunately, there was no result,
because every time, they had to postpone and postpone all the activities they
had. They decided to begin a pilot project to restore one church – Saint
Michael in the occupied village of Leonarisso and on the other hand, a Muslim
mosque in Limassol.

Of course, you can imagine that on the one side, you have more than 500
churches, and on the other hand, you have just some of the mosques, so it’s not
the same – one-to-one. Anyway, until now, there was no progress on that. They
said that the problem would be the financial one. And in that case, we came
and we asked the committee to do something which they don’t need money to do –
to allow the church communities of the Greeks to go and restore the cemeteries
with their own monies – just to put the crosses there, to have the possibility
to visit the graves of their ancestors and to light a candle there.

They refused it, which means that it’s not that they don’t have the money to go
on with the restoration; they are not willing to do that. And they say, when
it comes to such a decision, we have to wait for the political decision of the
matter. So we hoped a lot on this committee that we could have, after one
year, a result. But we didn’t. On the contrary, during the negotiations and
the meetings of this committee, the church that I showed you was willfully
destroyed and pulled down. It was a church – this one! This was the church
before, and now. So there’s nothing of the church and this is how it was in
2008 – just some months before this committee was grounded. And now, there is
nothing there. Thank you.

MR. MCNAMARA: Thank you. The U.S. Agency for International Development has
supported a number of restoration projects in the North, including work at the
Agios Mamas Church in Morphu, mainly operated as an icon museum. I wonder what
your assessment regarding these projects, and then I guess another thing that
strikes me is that there are this limited number – I think it was in Kyrenia as
well that I saw this very prominent steeple of a church that also serves as an
icon museum and attracts, apparently, a lot of foreign tourists.

And I wondered if there’s been some investigation – I think you alluded to it a
little bit – regarding the contents of these museums. Are they materials that
were original to the church, or is it a collection from various of the
destroyed churches, or has anybody been able to trace that aspect of it?

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: Because of the accusations of the destruction of the
churches and the illicit trade, they made two icon museums – the one you have
visited in Kyrenia or, I suppose you didn’t visit – excuse me.

MR. MCNAMARA: I didn’t visit, but I saw it from a distance. It was very
prominent. I was paying attention to the information office that’s located in
a little chapel right on the harbor center.

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: And also another one in the Holy Virgin Church in Trikomo.
It’s also in the Famagusta region. If not all the icons that are inside, they
do not belong to the church, but they were brought there. And all of them are
dated into the 20th and 19th centuries. You have to imagine that we have, in
Cyprus, icons from the 11th, 12th and 13th century which are missing, and not
one of them are there. So they’re just new icons, which were painted some
decades ago or even 100 years – so for Cyprus, 100 years ago is not a great
matter. (Chuckles.)

The second thing: We have – with the help of the United States, we had the
restoration of some monuments, as, for example, we had the Hala Sultan Tekke –
this is – a tekke is a kind of monastery for the Muslims – in Larnaca. And on
the other hand, we could restore a church in the occupied areas. This would be
Saint Andrew in the Karpas Peninsula. What happened was the tactic which we
now know happens all the time. Unfortunately, when the Turkish committee
begins with the restoration of the mosque in the South, they could proceed.
There was no problem. They had their archeologists, architects and the workers
and they went on, and if you go now to Cyprus, if you land in the Larnaca
airport, the first thing you can see is this mosque. It’s very, very beautiful
and it’s good that it was restored.

On the other hand, when we tried to go on with the restoration of Saint Andrew,
which is a very big pilgrimage for the Cypriots because most of them have been
baptized there, every time that we were trying to go on, there were problems.
We wanted to have material for the restoration. We could not bring the
material from the Republic of Cyprus, but we had to import it from Turkey.
Then we had to wait for months. These materials could not be found in Turkey;
we had to import it, for example, from Germany. No, we had to wait.

And after – during this time, the tekke in Larnaca was already restored, and
after it was restored, they said, so the time is out; you don’t have any more
possibility to restore the church. So it remains like that. So you can still
see the Saint Andrew Church, which is falling down. The other case you
mentioned – Saint Mamas in Morphu – it’s a recent case. And it was allowed to
restore the icon screen – actually the wooden parts of the church – not the
building. And this is – you have to imagine, this was a very good thing that
was made and we’re happy for that, but that’s one case in 500.

And I’d like to stress here that it’s not only the Greek Orthodox churches
which were looted or destroyed. We have Catholic churches; we have Armenian
churches; Maronite churches; we have Jewish cemeteries; we have so many, which
are not only the Greek Orthodox monuments. So we have also to pay attention
for them.

MS. JANSEN: Could I make one –

MR. MCNAMARA: Please.

MS. JANSEN: I just wanted to mention that there is a Web site which one can
consult. It was put up jointly by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot engineers
and architects. It’s called cyprustemples.com and it has on it 505 churches
and 111 mosques and Muslim sites. It gives the state of each one and what is
recommended to repair it or replace it or whatever. And it is a very valuable
site. It shows a lot.

These people spent quite a lot of time; they have plenty of photographs. And
buildings which have been completely destroyed or are in very bad states, there
are, of course, no photographs of them. But it is, as I say, a very valuable
source on what exactly has gone on. It needs to be updated, but otherwise, it
is a very good effort.

MR. MCNAMARA: Thank you very much. I have one additional question and then a
number of questions very quickly pertaining to – one of you referred to the
2008 international religious freedom report. The question I had is, besides
the storage facility in this particular church near the Karpas region, I did
pass by another church that was part – clearly, a monastery that was part of a
sort of hilltop resort in the Kyrenia area.

And I wondered if there’s been any attempt to identify the commercial backers
of those religious sites that have been converted into commercial purposes,
particularly like hotels and things of this nature? Are they investors from
the North, from Turkey, from the U.S., from other EU countries? Or has that
been looked into at all?

MS. JANSEN: Not that I know of.

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: The case you mentioned is a hotel now. It was a convent and
it was converted into a hotel. You can go there. I have met the owner. He is
from Turkey. And what has happened is that, against the constitution of
Cyprus, they confiscated all the religious property, which, according to the
constitution of Cyprus, the religious property of every religious community is
indisputable. And they gave it to the Muslim administration commission, named
FCAF (sp). And these are the persons who are selling or renting churches.

It was very interesting – I don’t have the photograph there, but it’s an
English-speaking newspaper from – (inaudible) – Smith Real Estate agents where
you can see here, there is a church for sale. “Lease for church, fully
restored and used as a picture gallery/craft center. Lovely position below
Adramit village. £32,500.” So we have a lot of such cases. We have, also,
American citizens. We have mainly English. We have also Germans – persons who
bought or rented such churches in order to use them for restaurants, for pubs,
for nightclubs and so on. Or they rented to Turks to use them as I told you.
Even a gym – you can go to a gym and you have the apse and the church inside
and it’s unbelievable for us.

The most impressive case was a church which was converted into a mortuary. So
I went inside and I found the coffins of the dead. And you can – they put them
on the altar, they wash them and then they bury them in the cemetery that’s
near to the church. So we have a lot of such cases, recently also. It happens
every day. So the last time I was in Famagusta, there was a photograph – you
can see there – it was the medieval Gothic church of the 13th century in
Famagusta of the Templars, and now it’s a nightclub. You can have your drink
there, and it’s unbelievable for us, for such a desecration of a holy place,
whatever the beliefs of your own are. Thank you.

MR. MCNAMARA: Sure. Just to wrap up this portion of the briefing, the
international religious freedom report of 2008 says that Orthodox and Maronites
are, quote, “allowed to conduct mass on a regular basis without prior
permission at seven sites in the occupied area.”

Does this conform with your observations regarding the situation with
believers, because I had an opportunity to meet with the bishop of the Karpas
region, for example, and it seemed like he has many restraints placed upon him
in terms of his ability to go to his region of the country, and then certainly
in terms of the question of conducting religious services.

And that, I guess, I must say I found tremendously ironic, having visited the
region and gone by many villages and stopped in about 20 or so. But then the
report goes on to say prior permission was required to conduct mass at the
other estimated 500 religious sites in the area administered by Turkish
Cypriots. I mean, these are the images of some of those 500 sites.

So to someone who may not have followed the developments as closely, in my
first reading, I would say, oh wow, there must be 500 churches, chapels and
monasteries that can still be used for the conducting of religious services of
various nature. So I just –a gain, I scratched my head after I read that
portion of the report because it seemed, certainly, highly misleading.

MS. JANSEN: I would just like to say one thing on this. I checked exactly
this question out before I left Cyprus. There are three churches which are
designated as possible sites for services. And services are not held
regularly. The church has to apply for permission to hold a service and it may
or may not be granted. It is rarely granted. It is sometimes granted on
saints’ days. And last week, one service was held at Ayia Marina and only 50
people were allowed to attend.

And at some of these services, even though permission was given, the police
which operate in the northern part of Cyprus came and told the congregations to
disband and to leave. Now, this particular situation must be compared to what
is going on in the government-controlled areas, where there is complete freedom
of religion for everyone. And I consulted someone who is connected with the
mosque in Nicosia and I said, what is the situation there?

He said there are three congregations in Cyprus in established mosques, which
have been restored and repaired, and there is a fourth congregation in Paphos.
The three established mosques are in Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol. There is a
fourth congregation in a hall in Paphos. They haven’t yet managed to work out
some sort of arrangement for being placed in the mosque there. Anyway, they
meet every week. They have congregations of, sometimes, two or three thousand
on Muslim feast days in all three of these areas – in Limassol, Nicosia and
Larnaca.

And most of the people who are in the congregations are people who came to
Cyprus in the past decade, two decades. They are of Arab origin or Bangladeshi
origin or Pakistani origin. Apparently, Turkish Cypriots don’t attend the
mosques. So the mosques are maintained. The government of Cyprus provides a
salary for the imam and the congregations take up collections to pay the water
bill, the electricity bill and for small repairs. And that is the situation on
the two sides; it’s quite different. Thank you.

MR. CHOTZAKOGLOU: I’d just like to add something, that according to the
constitution in Cyprus, all religious institutions – they do not have to pay
taxes. And that’s what happens also with the Muslim institutions in the
Republic of Cyprus or with the Jewish ones or with others. And I was very
surprised, actually, to read the international religious freedom report of the
United States Department of State because they write here that “there are some
restrictions religious freedom” – some restrictions, which means that the rule
is that you can go there without any problem, you can have your religious
service and leave.

But that’s not the case; that’s not the rule; that’s not how it happens. It’s
the opposite. Every time that a priest of a bishop wants to have a religious
service, we have to fight, actually, for months with the United States Embassy,
with the British embassy, with the country who is maybe the president of the
European Union, with friends or personal contacts of every person in order to
get the permission to go there and to have, under the surveillance of the
police with our names written and given before, to have a religious service.

So under this situation, I don’t think that what is written here represents
today’s situation of the region, especially when they write that the Turkish
Cypriot authorities generally respected the religious freedom in practice. I
think that everyone can go there and see it also for himself, what we’re
seeing. We have a lot of cases where, as Ms. Jansen said, we were granted such
permission from the Turkish Cypriot authorities, and when the bishops,
recently, some months ago, during the Holy Communion service with the Holy
Communion in his hands, the police came in – the police which is controlled by
the Turkish military – came in and they throw them away.

He presented the papers he had. He had to go to Famagusta where the military
officer was there. He said, I do not accept these papers. If you want, you
can go to the United Nations to have your religious service or in the southern
part, but not here. So they had to leave. That’s what happens all day. It’s
very, very difficult to have – there are only some cases on the Karpas
Peninsula where some Greeks there – and only from a local priest – that they
can have a religious service there. And also the case for some Maronite
churches on the western part of the occupied areas. These are the only
examples.

No Armenian, no Maronite, no Jews – no one can go on with their religious
service and have religious freedom in practice. And religious freedom is not
only to have a religious service in the church. It is to have the ordination
of the priests. It is to have the possibility to administer the religious
property. There is a lot of things. If you don’t have a single cemetery which
still can be seen – you can go there to see the situation of the cemeteries –
there is not a single cemetery which still stands there; how is there religious
freedom? That was my surprise when I read the report of the commission.

MR. MCNAMARA: Thank you very much. Just because you were mentioning
cemeteries, one of the ironies I found was, this is a little shed in the corner
of one of the little churches in a village in the North. And then I actually
did, of course, visit this cemetery here. And actually on the other side of
the wall, I found ironic that there was a Muslim burial place that was
meticulously maintained. I’m not sure when it dated from and so forth, but I
just felt like there was sort of a bit of irony there, given the nature of
these cemeteries and the other ones that I went to during my time there.

Our time is up for this portion of the briefing. We’ll take probably about a
five-minute break and then, for those who have time and are interested, we’ll
have the showing of this short film – 18 minutes long – by Dr. Gallas. Let me
just make sure I get the correct title: “Where Heaven Falls Prey – P-R-E-Y –
to Thieves.” For those who are not able to stay for the presentation, it is
available – I hope this isn’t a bootleg or something like that, but my
erstwhile intern that was working with me did find it in two parts on YouTube,
so you can view it via that means.

We will have a complete transcription of today’s briefing available on the
commission’s Web site tomorrow – within 24 hours we try to get it. There are a
lot of foreign names and so forth, so we’ll have to help the transcriber here.
But we do very much appreciate your presence here this afternoon on an issue
that, again – when we look at a situation, we go back and try to see if there’s
a relevant commitment that the OSCE-participating states have undertaken.

And when we looked at the situation in terms of religious cultural heritage in
this part of Cyprus, it just struck me as so tailor-made, if you will, where it
talks about the importance of preservation and protection of sites even if the
original community does not use them, or is even located – I did get a chance
to go to the Karpas region to the very tip of northeastern Cyprus and to be
able to sit down and to talk to some elderly Greek Cypriots – I think 228 in
the particular village.

And unfortunately, the main service that they seem to be conducting in the sole
church there is funerals. But that’s part of the reality as well. Thank you
again for coming and we appreciate your attention. The restrooms are just
outside of the room and to the right. And again, we’ll resume at about 25 past.

(END)

The 'Cyprus Problem,' 35 Years In

2009-07-21T09:40:00.009+03:00

(National Journal) - Q&A: ANDREAS KAKOURIS

The 'Cyprus Problem,' 35 Years In

On The Anniversary Of The 1974 Turkish Invasion, Cyprus' U.S. Ambassador Makes The Case For Reunification

When Turkish military forces invaded the island of Cyprus on July 20, 1974, Ankara argued that it was defending the status quo and heading off the forced annexation of the island by a military junta in Greece. Yet today, on the 35th anniversary of the invasion, Cyprus remains the only forcibly divided country in Europe, and one of the continent's most intractable problems. Recently, National Journal correspondent James Kitfield spoke with Andreas Kakouris, Cyprus' ambassador to the United States. Edited excerpts from their interview follow. Visit the archives page for more Insider Interviews.

NJ: After decades of United Nations resolutions and mediation on Cyprus, why is the island still divided?

Kakouris: We've been unable to move forward on a solution to the Cyprus problem because, quite frankly, Turkey hasn't accepted the solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation that is the framework of countless United Nations resolutions. [Cypriot] President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat recently reiterated their support for that framework, with a single citizenship and political equality for everyone. Successive Turkish governments, however, have pushed instead for a solution based on a weak confederation of two distinct states.

NJ: What exactly is meant by a "bizonal" and "bicommunal" republic?

Kakouris: Within Cyprus you would have two areas, one of Greek Cypriot constituents, and the other of Turkish Cypriot constituents, but both parts of a federal republic. So there would be only one state and a single citizenship. By contrast, today 43,000 Turkish troops occupy 37 percent of the sovereign territory of a member of the European Union. In that occupied area there are 85,000 Turkish Cypriots and 160,000 Turkish settlers who have come since the invasion. There are 200,000 Cypriot refugees who remain displaced by the invasion. There are also problems of economic displacement, human rights violations, and the destruction of cultural artifacts.

NJ: Many observers put high hopes in the peace settlement proposed by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2004. Why did the Greek Cypriot community overwhelmingly reject the Annan plan in a referendum?

Kakouris: In my estimation, the Annan plan had more to do with offloading the problem from the shoulders of Turkey than it did with solving the problem in a way that reunited the people and institutions of Cyprus. When you look closely at the elements of that plan, for instance, it included the continued presence of Turkish troops on Cyprus with a right to intervene in our affairs. Would anyone in the United States accept the idea of foreign troops on your soil, with the right of intervention? Cyprus is a member of the European Union. We don't need guarantor powers or the presence of foreign troops on our soil, with the exception perhaps of a continued United Nations force that might be included in a solution.

NJ: So the continued presence of foreign troops was the main sticking point in the Annan plan?

Kakouris: The plan also lacked functionality. In essence, it would have established parallel civil services. Nor were the rights of Greek Cypriot refugees to return to their homes guaranteed. They would have become second-class citizens in their own country under the Annan plan. The 160,000 settlers that Ankara has brought to Cyprus would also have remained on the island, by and large. The Annan plan would also have superseded as law Cyprus' rights as a member of the European Union. As an equal member in good standing of the European Union, that was something that we could not accept.

NJ: If the Annan plan was so flawed, how did it get all the way to a referendum?

Kakouris: When Annan invited the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots to... discuss his plan, many issues were glossed over. The tight timelines for arbitration meant that both sides never really engaged in serious negotiations, producing a disastrous plan that would essentially have endorsed two separate states on the island. So the Annan plan was someone else's interpretation of what was in our best interest as Cypriots. By contrast, the current negotiations between President Christofias and Talat are exploring solutions for Cypriots by Cypriots. That's far preferable to solutions designed to serve the best interest of other parties, including Turkey.

NJ: Yet don't you need Turkey to embrace any ultimate deal?

Kakouris: To be frank, yes, we do need Ankara to be more constructive and supportive. It's not enough for Ankara to say they support a solution to the "Cyprus problem." We need them to embrace the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. After all, it should be remembered that Turkey is the aggressor and occupier here. Turkey is the only country that recognizes the so-called Turkish Republic of Cyprus, which was created by an act of secession that has been condemned by multiple U.N. resolutions. I recognize Turkey as a state, yet Turkey does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

Having said that, in a way it doesn't matter how good relations are between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders -- and those personal relations are quite good. The key to the solution remains in Ankara. We just hope Turkey will give Mr. Talat the room to negotiate in earnest without imposing its will from the outside.

NJ: Doesn't the fact that you are a member of the European Union since 2004, and thus hold a veto over Turkey's entry, give you significant leverage with Ankara?

Kakouris: You say Cyprus has a veto over Turkey's accession into the EU, but 26 other countries also have that veto. You might even assume that Cyprus opposes Turkey's membership in the EU, but in 2004 and 2005, when we could have exercised such a veto over Turkey's accession talks, we did not. We believe Turkey's European orientation is a positive for both Turkey and Cyprus. And we continue to hope that the EU can be a positive catalyst for a resolution to this problem.

NJ: So you firmly support Turkey's membership in the EU?

Kakouris: Cyprus supports Turkey's accession, but that is not a blank check. Turkey has obligations. In the past, Turkey has blocked Cyprus from joining international agreements. It continues to occupy the land of an EU member and refuses to recognize that state. Certainly under those circumstances, Turkey will not be able to join the EU.

NJ: What role would you like the United States to play in solving the "Cyprus problem?"

Kakouris: Well, if the United States wants to see Turkey anchored to the West through the European Union, Washington needs to realize that path runs through Cyprus. A solution to the Cyprus problem that reunifies the island and the social fabric of its people is also a "win-win" for Turkey. It finally gets rid of this Gordian knot in EU-Turkey relations.

I would also stress that Cyprus serves as Europe's lighthouse in the Eastern Mediterranean. We are a half-hour flight from Beirut, Damascus or Tel Aviv. When there was a crisis in 2006 because of the war in Lebanon, 60,000 foreign nationals evacuated to Cyprus, including 15,000 Americans. So there is a value added for both the European Union and the United States to Cyprus' position in that part of the world.

NJ: Yet hasn't Washington been reluctant to press the Cyprus issue in a way that complicates the United States' already difficult strategic relationship with Turkey?

Kakouris: No one has convinced me that Turkey's continued occupation of Cyprus either benefits Turkey or serves U.S. interests. Quite the opposite is true. At bottom, this issue is about principles and values that the United States holds sacrosanct: democracy, the rule of law, human rights. The Obama administration has already talked of the importance of finding a solution to this problem based on a bizonal and bicommunal federation, and I hope the United States will try and convince Turkey that is the right thing to do. There are many ways for the Obama administration to convey that message, and it doesn't have to be in public or through the press.

NJ: How are relations today between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots?

Kakouris: Since 2003, the restrictions on crossing the ceasefire line were partially lifted, meaning Greek and Turkish Cypriots could cross the line for the first time going back to 1974. Since then we have had 15 million incident-free crossings. That debunks the myth spread by some in Turkey that the 43,000 Turkish troops on Cyprus are needed because the two communities cannot live peacefully together.

NJ: Do you worry that the lack of tension puts the issue of Cyprus on the back burner in international forums?

Kakouris: Yes, because this problem is urgent. The passage of time doesn't improve the prospects for a solution. The older generation that lived together on a united island as part of intermingled communities, for instance, is getting older. The settlers that Turkey has brought to Cyprus put down deeper roots. In that respect, each day that passes solidifies the effects of the invasion and separation. So we want a solution to this problem yesterday, not today or tomorrow. And for those who see the relative peace of Cyprus and are tempted to accept the status quo, we say that peace is not the absence of war, but rather the presence of justice. And justice cannot exist in the midst of occupation.

NJ: Has the Cyprus problem defied solution, in part, because the Greek Cypriots are overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian and Turkish Cypriots are overwhelmingly Muslim?

Kakouris: Well, the Cyprus problem has never been fundamentally a religious issue. But if we find a solution that involves Cyprus' Christian Orthodox community and its Muslim community negotiating their common future together on a single homeland within Europe, it will certainly provide a poignant counterpoint to talk of a "clash of civilizations."

Air raid sirens sound across Cyprus

2009-07-20T09:48:00.009+03:00

(Famagusta Gazette) - Air raid sirens sounded across Cyprus at 5.30 this morning to mark the 35th anniversary of the Turkish invasion.

Today in 1974, a Turkish armada of 33 ships, including troop transporters and at least 30 tanks and small landing craft, landed on the northern coast.

Confusion reined across the island 35-years ago, as more than 4,500 Britons and other foreign nationals were moved to the safety of army bases and others have been airlifted to safety in specially-chartered planes.

The invasion forced 160,000 Greek Cypriots homeless, and Turkish forces advanced to take control of nearly 40% of the island.

A number of observances will be taking place today to mark the anniversary, including a service officiated by the Archbishop and in the presence of the President.

US firm gets the nod to start oil and gas exploration off the coast of southern Cyprus

2009-05-30T04:56:00.006+03:00

The Republic of Cyprus has authorized "Noble Energy", a United States firm, to start searching for oil and gas deposits off the Cypriot coast. Director of the Energy Department of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Solon Kassinis said the government granted a license to the Houston, Texas-based company last year to explore one of 11 blocks inside the island's exclusive economic zone. The block is close to a large undersea gas deposit that Noble located off Israel, which according to the company's Web site is estimated at 5 trillion cubic feet. Mr. Kassinis said the discovery raises optimism about gas potential inside Cyprus' zone that covers 51,000 square kilometers of seabed.

Obama's Man for Europe Views on Cyprus, Patriarchate, Armenia

2009-05-12T07:03:00.005+03:00

(Greek News) - Exclusive: Philip Gordon’s reply to 28 questions by Senator Robert Menendez.

Washington.- By Apostolos Zoupaniotis

Assistant Secretary of State Designate Philip Gordon’s confirmation is expected to move into the Senate floor for a vote very soon, a very well informed Congress source told the Greek News. Gordon’s confirmation although passed through the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee in early April, it was held up by Senator John Ensign, a Republican from Nevada who has co-sponsored a congressional resolution on the Armenian Genocide in the past.

Ensign represents the State of Nevada in the U.S. Senate along with Majority Leader Harry Reed, who is expected to have a tough reelection in 2010. Although political pundits and some Armenian Americans were predicting Ensign’s position to force Reed to withhold Gordon’s nomination for some more time, it seems now that the junior senator from Nevada will step back, for unknown reasons, opening the way for a full Senate vote, as soon as the end of the week. According to political sources, Ensign’s hold happened just before Obama’s Armenian Day proclamation and was just a warning to the Obama Administration and the President himself to put pressure on Ankara during its negotiations with Armenia to settle their disputes.

The fact that the Armenian government agreed to the process didn’t leave much alternatives to anyone in the Senate”, the same sources told the Greek News.

Gordon’s position on Cyprus and the Armenian Genocide during his confirmation hearing, on March 26, 2009, left many unanswered questions about his objectivity.

Although he is the translator of the English edition of French President’s Nicola Sarkozy book “Testimony”, he criticized France for criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide. “Genocide Denial” is a crime in many countries, including the United States in the case of the Jewish Holocaust.

Gordon, a former director of the Brookings Institution was author of many pro Turkish books and article. He was very critical of the Greek Cypriot rejection of the Annan Plan and suggest the reward of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

According to figures released by Brookings Institution and provided to the Senate by Philip Gordon, since 2006 Brookings has received $200,000 from the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, $200,000 from Sabanci University, $150,000 from the Eksiogullari Group (a construction company in Turkey), and $100,000 from the Dogan Yayin Holding Company, a media-entertainment conglomerate.

Brookings, in a note attached to the spreadsheet listing the donations, said that the "primary funding for the work of Philip H. Gordon in 2006-2007 was provided by the Smith Richardson Foundation. From 2007-2009 primary funding was provided to Mr. Gordon by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, the Carnegie Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Brookings Endowment."

The question about Gordon’s funding was asked by Senator Robert Menendez (D, NJ) along with 27 other questions, seeking clarification on his positions regarding Cyprus, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Turkey’s compliance with the Copenhagen Criteria, the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish-Armenia dispute and Ukraine.

According to sources close to the Greek Lobby in Washington, although during his confirmation hearing he denied to say if he agreed with Obama’s statement about “the Turkish occupation of north Cyprus”, Gordon’s written answers (to Menendez questions) regarding Cyprus and the Ecumenical Patriarchate were satisfactory, reflecting the change of tone in Washington in these issues. But, some of his answers about Armenia left a bitter taste in many Armenian-Americans.

“Greek News” is publishing exclusively all his answers to the questions regarding Cyprus and the Patriarchate and some of his replies to the questions regarding Armenia.

ON CYPRUS

Question: In the case that negotiations between the parties in Cyprus break down in the next four years, what are your views on how one achieves a settlement on Cyprus? Specifically, what role would the United States play in Cyprus negotiations and what would you advocate as a U.S. policy towards Cyprus?

Answer: If confirmed, I will vigorously support the direct negotiations between the parties that began in September 2008 under the United Nations Good Offices Mission, and do everything possible to prevent the breakdown of those talks. The only way to achieve a just and lasting settlement is for the Cypriot parties themselves to negotiate their own solution, with strong support from the international community whenever the parties seek such support. If confirmed, I will continue to support the reunification of Cyprus under a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, which has been the longstanding policy of the United States, supported by United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

Question: Would you promote the equivalent of the Annan Plan in the current context if negotiations were not moving forward?

Answer: If confirmed, I will continue to support a resolution of the Cyprus Problem through the reunification of the island into a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. While it is important to build on those areas of convergence reached during four decades of negotiations under UN auspices, the Annan Plan was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum; I respect that democratic decision. The current leaders, Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat are to be commended for taking the initiative in starting negotiations on September 3, 2008 under the auspices of the United Nations Good Offices Mission, and for conducting those negotiations in good-faith. If confirmed, I will support this Cypriot-led process and assist as needed, in consultation with the parties.

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Question: If confirmed, would you urge that the Government of Turkey respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Christian Church?

Answer: Yes, if confirmed, I will continue to urge Turkish officials to recognize the ecumenical status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to continue allowing the Holy Synod to select its members regardless of whether they are Turkish citizens, restore confiscated religious property and prevent spurious legal challenges to Patriarchate property, and to reopen the Halki Seminary. The United States considers Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew a religious leader of global standing, a position with which I agree. Like the administration, I share deep respect for His All Holiness, and concern for the continued existence of the Patriarchate, which for centuries has been a part of the rich tradition of religious diversity exemplified in Istanbul.

Question: If confirmed, would you advocate that the European Union focus on the elimination of all forms of discrimination in Turkey, particularly with regard to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, while continuing accession negotiations?

Answer: Yes. It is the policy of this Administration to promote religious freedom and human rights worldwide, including in Turkey. If confirmed I would strongly support this policy with our friends and Allies in the European Union. Turkey has taken many steps toward improving its overall record on human rights and religious freedom, and has committed to implement further reforms, as desired by Turkish voters and in line with the European Union accession requirements. The United States fully supports Turkey’s accession to the European Union. If confirmed, I will continue to encourage progress on these reforms and will keep the issue of expanding religious freedom in Turkey high on our bilateral agenda, which, in turn, will advance Turkey’s efforts to meet the criteria for EU candidacy.

Question: If confirmed, would you advocate that the Government of Turkey remove an obstacle in its relations with the United States Government by taking positive steps to provide full religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate?

Answer: If confirmed, I will continue to urge Turkish officials to respect the ecumenical and legal status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey, continue allowing the Holy Synod to select members who are not Turkish citizens, and to restore confiscated religious property and prevent spurious legal challenges to Patriarchate property. If confirmed, I will call on the Government of Turkey to reopen the Halki Seminary.

The United States Mission in Turkey regularly promotes religious freedom for all faiths and advocates for legal reforms to lift restrictions on religious minorities as part of our efforts to advance human rights. If confirmed, I will continue to support our Mission’s engagement with the Government of Turkey on religious freedom issues, advocate for continued outreach and engagement with Turkish religious leaders, and further our policy of active engagement and consultation with religious minority groups, including those in the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Syriac Orthodox, Protestant, and Jewish communities.

Question: If confirmed, would you advocate that the Government of Turkey recognize the right to the title of `Ecumenical Patriarch,' grant the Ecumenical Patriarch appropriate international recognition and ecclesiastic succession, grant the Ecumenical Patriarch the right to train clergy of all nationalities, not just Turkish nationals; and respect property rights and human rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate?

Answer: If confirmed, I will continue to urge Turkish officials to recognize the ecumenicity of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, reflecting our view of the Ecumenical Patriarch as a religious leader of global significance. If confirmed, I will also urge Turkish officials to reopen the school at Halki to ensure ecclesiastic succession. Just as we encourage the Turkish Government to continue allowing the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Holy Synod to select members who are not Turkish citizens, so do we hope the Patriarchate will have the right to train clergy of any nationality. On Patriarchate property, the recent amendments to the Foundations Law should help advance intensive U.S. efforts to elicit the return of the Buyukada Orphanage and other properties to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Though the new Foundations Law is a step in the right direction, it does not include a provision for compensating original owners of property seized by the Government of Turkey and then sold to third parties. The law also did not rescind the authority of the government to expropriate property. The 2008 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom underscores the status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the legal challenges for property ownership and, if confirmed, I will continue to strongly urge the Turkish Government to restore confiscated religious property and prevent spurious legal challenges to Patriarchate property.

TURKEY – EU

Question: Is it your view that the Government of Turkey should move expeditiously to meet the criteria set forth by the European Council in Copenhagen?

Answer: Any country seeking membership in the European Union must conform to the conditions established by the European Council in Copenhagen. Turkey has taken many steps towards improving its overall human rights and religious freedom record, and has made a commitment to implement further reforms desired by the people of Turkey and in line with the European Union accession process. The United States supports Turkey’s accession to the European Union. As it fulfills the EU’s accession criteria, Turkey will become an even stronger and more valuable partner of the United States and the entire Euro-Atlantic community. If confirmed, I will continue to encourage progress on these reforms and will keep the issue of expanding religious freedom in Turkey high on our bilateral agenda.

ON ARMENIA

Question: Does your record also include speaking out to have Turkey come to terms with its legacy of genocide and its denial of genocide? Have you spoken out to ensure that Turkey open the border with Armenia, which it has illegally kept closed for the last 15 years and is required under treaty obligations? If so, please provide documentation of such writings.

Answer: I have repeatedly encouraged Turkey to come to terms with its past and allow for an open and honest internal dialogue by expanding freedom of expression, especially on this particular issue. I have also advocated that the United States and Europe actively encourage Turkey to normalize its relations with Armenia, re-open the border, and allow open dialogue about the mass killings and forced exile of 1915. Turkey and Armenia have sought U.S. support for their reconciliation efforts, and following the lead of the President, if confirmed, I will give mine fully. Resurrecting Turkey-Armenia relations and reconciling with both peoples’ shared past is critical to fostering peace and stability in the Caucasus region and beyond.

In my monograph Winning Turkey, I wrote that:

The West should “press Turkey to repair its relations with the Republic of Armenia and to allow open debate within Turkey.”

“Although such a sensitive matter must obviously be handled by the Turks and Armenians themselves, their American and European friends should actively encourage a solution, which should begin with Turkey’s allowing more open research and debate about the subject. Turkey’s contention that ‘history should be left to the historians’ is fine as far as it goes, but it would be more convincing if Turkey actually did that, rather than prosecute historians and others who reach the conclusion that genocide took place. This is another reason why Article 301 should be repealed.”

“…the Erdogan government needs to be more vocal in its support for freedom of speech on the Armenian question. […] It is also time for the Turkish government to take more constructive and creative steps toward political and psychological reconciliation with Armenia. […] Ankara and the Turkish public need to understand better the trauma of 1915 for the Armenian people and the Armenian diaspora.”

In that study and in public interventions in Turkey, I have suggested that Turkey offer “an olive branch to Armenia in the form of a presidential letter of sympathy to commemorate the tragedy” which would “bring a human dimension to relations between Ankara and Yerevan.”

I also called in Winning Turkey for an acceleration of diplomatic efforts “to resolve the bilateral conflict between Turkey and the Republic of Armenia, which has for too long blocked peaceful developments in the Caucasus and complicates Turkey’s accession to the EU.”

I wrote that “The United States should encourage Turkey to pledge now that if Armenia shows a real commitment to a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkey would reestablish diplomatic relations with Armenia, end its blockade, and open the land border between the two countries. Such steps not only would be in the interest of both countries but also could create the climate for a long-term solution in Nagorno-Karabakh as well as much better relations and open trade between Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.”

Question: Given some of your public statements, how can you assure me that you will be sensitive to preventing future genocides and combating denial of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey?

Answer: I have strongly encouraged Turkey to come to terms with its history and believe that an honest dialogue within Turkey on historical events would help facilitate Turkish democracy and reconciliation both within Turkey’s borders and in the region. Such a dialogue would help promote prosperity, peace, and stability in the region and would contribute to a full understanding of these terrible events. If confirmed, I will continue to strongly support this effort, and in particular will emphasize its importance to bilateral relations.

The Obama Administration is fully committed to preventing genocides. If confirmed, I will work diligently with my interagency colleagues, this committee, our European allies, and our partners to prevent genocide anywhere in the world.

Questions for the Record Submitted to Assistant Secretary - Designate Philip Gordon by
Senator Robert Menendez (#4C)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
March 26, 2009

Question: A 1951 U.S. Government filing with the United Nations stated that “The Genocide Convention resulted from the inhuman and barbarous practices which prevailed in certain countries prior to and during World War II, when entire religious, racial and national minority groups were threatened with and subjected to deliberate extermination. The practice of genocide has occurred throughout human history. The Roman persecution of the Christians, the Turkish massacres of Armenians, the extermination of millions of Jews and Poles by the Nazis are outstanding examples of the crime of genocide.” Do you agree with this U.S. Government filing?

Answer: The United States has long acknowledged the horrific tragedy that 1.5 million Armenians suffered mass killings and forced exile by the Ottoman Empire. I, too, recognize and mourn the loss of so many innocent lives. This tragedy should be the focus of an open and honest dialogue among civic leaders, scholars, and the societies at large. If confirmed, I would strongly support Turkey and Armenia’s reconciliation efforts, including confronting their shared history. I believe the United States must do all it can to prevent such tragedies from ever happening again.

Question: In October 2006, you published “Why France Shouldn't Legislate Turkey's Past,” in regard to the French push to pass a law that punishes the denial of the Armenian Genocide. You wrote that this vote in Parliament “is a dangerous step down a slippery slope,” adding that “the new French legislation is just the latest illiberal policy in Europe masquerading as liberalism.” How do you seek to reconcile your criticism of France with the blind eye you turn towards Turkey?

Answer: I have stated with regard to the proposed French legislation in question that it is dangerous to criminalize the free expression of views. I also strongly believe in, and have publicly called for, a more open debate about the past in Turkey. I have encouraged Turkey to repeal article 301 of its penal code, which can be used to constrain free expression, and I have supported an open dialogue between Turkey and Armenia. If confirmed, I would continue, along with the Administration, to strongly encourage Turkey to come to terms with the dark periods in its history.

Question: Do you agree with the characterization by President Bush on April 24, 2004, when he stated “On this day, we pause in remembrance of one of the most horrible tragedies of the 20th century, the annihilation of as many as 1.5 million Armenians through forced exile and murder at the end of the Ottoman Empire.”?

Answer: Yes. I acknowledge and mourn as historical fact what President Bush described as one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the mass killings and forced exile of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire.

Question: Do you agree that the use of the words “ethnic cleansing” would include the deliberate inflicting on a group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part?

Answer: I do not believe that there is a universally accepted definition of “ethnic cleansing” under international law. In the Bosnia v. Serbia case, the International Court of Justice described the phrase “ethnic cleansing” as being in practice used “by reference to a specific region or area, to mean rendering an area ethnically homogenous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups from the area.”

Question: Do you acknowledge and agree with the following facts of the events that occurred between 1915-1923 as reported by American officials at the time?

1. Where U.S. Ambassador Morgenthau wrote on July 16, 1915, “it appears that a campaign of race extermination is in progress under a pretext of reprisal against rebellion.”

2. Where U.S. Consul in Aleppo, Jesse Jackson, reported to Ambassador Morgenthau on June 5, 1915, "It is without doubt a carefully planned scheme to thoroughly extinguish the Armenian race."

3. Where U.S. Consul in Harput, Leslie Davis reported to Ambassador Morgenthau on July 24, 1915, “It has been no secret that the plan was to destroy the Armenian race as a race, but the methods used have been more cold-blooded and barbarous, if not more effective, than I had at first supposed."

4. Where U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1916-1917, Abram I. Elkus, telegrammed the Secretary of State on October 17, 1916, "In order to avoid opprobrium of the civilized world, which the continuation of massacres would arouse, Turkish officials have now adopted and are executing the unchecked policy of extermination through starvation, exhaustion, and brutality of treatment hardly surpassed even in Turkish history."

Answer: I acknowledge the fact of the mass killings and forced exile of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. I do not dispute that Ambassador Morgenthau, Ambassador Elkus, and other diplomats during that time period reported on what they described as an attempt to destroy the Armenian population.

Question: Would you agree that Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, of which the United States has both signed and ratified, where it states:
In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group;

(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Answer: Yes, that is what Article II says

Question: Do the events that occurred during the period of 1915-1923 meet the definition under Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide?

Answer: I acknowledge and mourn the mass killings and forced exile of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. I feel very strongly about the great suffering experienced by the Armenian people both at that time and today as they remember this dark chapter in their history, mourn the loss of so many innocent lives, and rightfully expect their pain and loss to be acknowledged and the victims to be honored. It is the prerogative of the President to determine the policy on how the Administration characterizes these tragic events. If confirmed, my focus will be on promoting Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and as part of this an open and honest dialogue about the tragic events of 1915.

Question: How does the non-use of the genocide term, as you have advocated, advance U.S. efforts to promote Armenian-Turkish reconciliation?

Answer: I believe the United States should strongly support Armenian-Turkish reconciliation and avoid steps that could derail that process or discourage either party from participating in the ongoing dialogue. Ultimately, Turkey and Armenia are the owners of their historical reconciliation process, and I have been encouraged by the bold steps taken recently in this direction by Turkish and Armenian leaders to reconcile their countries with each other and with their shared and painful past. I also believe the steps Turkey and Armenia are taking towards normalizing relations and opening their border will foster a better environment for confronting their shared tragic history. Turkey and Armenia have sought U.S. support and encouragement of their reconciliation efforts, and following the lead of the President, if confirmed, I will give mine fully.

Question: Do you believe there can be reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia without an acknowledgment of the genocide by Turkey?

Answer: The Turkish and Armenian governments have already started taking courageous steps toward reconciliation, including by Armenian President Sargsian and Turkish President Gul, who met in Yerevan at President Sargsian’s invitation to attend a World Cup qualifier soccer match on September 6, 2008. I welcome the efforts by individuals in Armenia and Turkey to foster reconciliation and peace, and to come to terms with their shared past. I look forward to full normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations, after which genuine reconciliation – including through an open and honest dialogue of the tragic events of 1915 – can occur. If confirmed, I will strongly support ongoing efforts between Turkey and Armenia to open their border and re-establish diplomatic relations.

Question: Would you visit with government officials from Nagorno-Karabakh, if they requested such a meeting?

Answer: As Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States has played an active and important role in efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The U.S. Co-Chair, in addition to trips to Yerevan and Baku, often travels to Stepanakert to meet with de facto N-K authorities. The Obama Administration has stated that it is committed to achieving a breakthrough on Nagorno - Karabakh, and I look forward to assisting in this important effort if I am confirmed.

QUESTION: Would you permit USAID personnel, who are not Armenian nationals, to visit Nagorno-Karabakh?

ANSWER: As the United States continues to work toward a settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, the United States Government is striving to use their assistance to address the genuine humanitarian needs of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh in a spirit of cooperation and friendship. What matters most is that we design and implement these programs properly, to have the greatest possible positive impact in addressing urgent needs. At this sensitive point in negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the OSCE’s Minsk Group, the Administration believes it is prudent to avoid significant changes in the modus operandi of our assistance efforts, especially in ways that might incorrectly imply that the United States has formally recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as a government, which neither the United States, Armenia, or any other country has done. That said, U.S. assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh, focused on improving the conditions of those living in the area, is essential to building trust and confidence in our negotiating efforts. U.S. assistance is doing critical work in demining and providing potable water to the residents there. United States-based NGOs have traveled to Nagorno Karabakh to provide humanitarian assistance. Additionally, as you noted, USAID personnel visit Nagorno-Karabakh to oversee and evaluate projects, conduct needs assessments, and consult with both “officials” and ordinary residents.

Question: Would you advise President Obama to in any way weaken or retreat from his clear pledge to the American people to recognize the Armenian Genocide? Why or why not?

Answer: If confirmed, I would advise President Obama to do everything possible to encourage Turkey to come to terms with its history and honor the victims of these horrendous events, and to help Armenia and Turkey come to terms with their shared and painful past. I will faithfully support whatever policy is decided by President Obama. If confirmed, I will strongly encourage Turkey and Armenia to deepen their efforts in this regard, and to normalize their relations and reopen their border.

Question: Then Senator Obama urged U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide on numerous occasions:
• On July 28, 2006, in a letter to Secretary Rice concerning the firing of US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, he wrote, “The occurrence of the Armenian genocide in 1915 is not an ‘allegation,’ a ‘personal opinion,’ or a ‘point of view’ . . . . [I]t is a widely documented fact.”

• On April 28, 2008, in a Senate floor statement in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, he stated, “It is imperative that we recognize the horrific acts carried out against the Armenian people as genocide and I will continue to stand with the Armenian American community in calling for the Government of Turkey to acknowledge it as such.”

• On January 19, 2008, Obama stated that “America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides.”

Do you disagree with any of the above statements? If so, please explain?

Answer: Policy on this issue is determined by the President, and, if confirmed, I have a duty to faithfully represent the policy of the President. I recognize the mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and forced exile of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. I feel very strongly about the great suffering experienced by the Armenian people both at that time and today as they remember this tragic chapter in their history. I fully respect that the Armenian-American community and the Armenian people want their pain and loss to be acknowledged. If confirmed, I will do everything I can to encourage Turkey to come to terms with this dark chapter in history, including through an open and honest dialogue with Armenia and within Turkey on these events. These efforts would help facilitate reconciliation, economic prosperity, peace, and stability in the region and would help encourage a full understanding of these terrible events. If confirmed, I am committed to do everything possible to ensure such horrors never recur.

Question: Do you dispute that U.S. diplomats serving in the Ottoman Empire during the Armenian Genocide documented a systematic, government-sponsored campaign "with intent to destroy, in whole or in part" the Armenian population?

Answer: No. I have read many of the historical records from 1915-1916 related to U.S. diplomatic reporting on these events, and I do not dispute that Ambassador Morgenthau, Ambassador Elkus, and other diplomats during that time period reported on what they described as an attempt to destroy the Armenian population.

You have written articles opposing resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide. If the Republic of Turkey ended its denial of the Armenian Genocide, would you no longer counsel against using the term “Armenian Genocide?” Why or why not?

Answer: I recognize and mourn the mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and forced deportations that devastated over one and a half million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. The United States considers these events to be one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th Century, the “Great Calamity” as many Armenians refer to it. It is the prerogative of the President to determine the policy on how the Administration characterizes these tragic events.

I have encouraged Turkey to come to terms with its past and if confirmed will continue to do so. That will not be easy, just as it has not been easy for the United States to come to terms with dark periods of our own past. I firmly commit to supporting Turkish-Armenian reconciliation, if I am confirmed. I believe a successful reconciliation will not only need to include normalization of relations and reopening the border, but also an open and honest dialogue about the tragic events of 1915. Turkey and Armenia have asked for U.S. support and encouragement of their efforts, and following the lead of the President, if confirmed, I will give mine fully.

Question: Who was responsible for the death of over 1.5 million Armenians during WWI?

Answer: This administration, like those before it, does not deny the facts –1.5 million Armenians were murdered, starved, or deported by civilian officials and soldiers of the Ottoman Empire, some of whom were sentenced to death for committing these crimes. The United States mourns this terrible chapter of history and recognizes that it remains a source of pain for the people of Armenia and of Armenian descent, and all those who believe in the dignity and value of every human life.

Question: Despite the painful and ongoing legacy of the Armenian Genocide, and the continued illegal, Turkish blockade, Armenia has, repeatedly, offered to open diplomatic and economic relations with Turkey without preconditions. Do you believe Turkey should accept Armenia’s offer to establish full diplomatic and economic relations without preconditions?

Answer: Turkey and Armenia have sought and received strong U.S. support for their reconciliation efforts, and, if confirmed, I will give mine fully. I welcome these efforts by individuals in Armenia and Turkey and look forward to the realization of a fully normalized Armenia-Turkey relationship. If confirmed, I will strongly support ongoing efforts between Turkey and Armenia to open their border and re-establish diplomatic relations. I am encouraged by the positive developments toward normalization, including commercial flights, considerable trade, and rapid visa issuance, as well as the courageous steps by Armenian President Sargsian and Turkish President Gul to improve bilateral relations, including through their historic meeting in Yerevan last September. The Administration welcomes the plans of both presidents to meet again in Ankara this October, and hope that by then, the Turkey-Armenia border will be reopened.

GORDN’S/BROOKINGS FINANCIAL COMPENSATION

Philip Gordon Payments Received from EUR Countries 2006-2009

Payee Country Date Amount Purpose

Encompass Publications Belgium 11/08 $400 article
Encompass Publications Belgium 9/08 $400 article
Encompass Publications Belgium 7/08 $400 article
Financial Times UK 7/09/08 $500 oped
US-Spain Chamb Commerce Spain 6/05/08 $2,500 speech
Foreign Policy France France 5/15/08 $10,000 speech
Encompass Publications Belgium 5/08 $400 article
Encompass Publications Belgium 3/08 $400 article
Encompass Publications Belgium 1/08 $400 article
Financial Times UK 1/04/08 $500 oped
Financial Times UK 12/05/07 $500 oped
Encompass Publications Belgium 11/07 $400 article
Encompass Publications Belgium 09/07 $400 article
Norwegian Foreign Ministry Norway 08/07 $2,500 report
Encompass Publications Belgium 07/07 $400 article
Financial Times UK 7/25/07 $500 oped
Encompass Publications Belgium 05/07 $400 article
Encompass Publications Belgium 03/07 $400 article
Encompass Publications Belgium 01/07 $400 article
French Foreign Ministry France 2006 $7,000 translation

Corporate Donors with Foreign Addresses

Constituent Name Country Date Fund Description Cash Received Reference

Eksiogullari Group Turkey 3/5/2008 Turkey 2007 $75,000.00 Supported research activities and conferences of Brookings Turkey project
Eksiogullari Group Turkey 9/29/2008 Turkey 2007 $75,000.00 Supported research activities and conferences of Brookings Turkey project
Hedef-Alliance Holding Turkey 1/17/2007 Turkey 2007 $30,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Nurol Turkey 2/6/2008 Turkey 2007 $30,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association Turkey 3/8/2007 Turkey 2007 $25,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association Turkey 6/8/2007 Turkey 2007 $25,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association Turkey 10/5/2007 Turkey 2007 $25,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association Turkey 4/22/2008 Turkey 2007 $25,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association Turkey 7/8/2008 Turkey 2007 $25,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association Turkey 2/27/2009 Turkey 2007 $25,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association Turkey 2/6/2009 Turkey 2007 $50,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Dogan Yayin Holdings/Hanzade Dogan Turkey 2/16/2007 CUSE $30,000.00 Support for Turkey 2007 initiative (project run by former Ambassador Mark Parris)
Dogan Yayin Holdings/Hanzade Dogan Turkey 2/16/2007 $70,000.00 Membership on Brookings' international advisory committee
Sabanci University Turkey 6/27/2006 CUSE $2,500.00 honorarium to Strobe Talbott for participation as judge in research award
Sabanci University Turkey 9/12/2008 Turkey Sabanci Lect T2 $9,673.21 travel costs for Sabanci delegation
Sabanci University Turkey 6/27/2006 Turkey Project $45,530.81 travel, conference, and administrative costs for annual Sabanci lecture
Sabanci University Turkey 7/5/2007 CUSE - France Activities $49,588.75 travel, conference, and administrative costs for annual Sabanci lecture
Sabanci University Turkey 11/25/2008 Turkey Project $85,000.00 travel, conference, and administrative costs for annual Sabanci lecture

*** NOTE: Primary funding for the work of Philip H. Gordon in 2006-2007 was provided by the Smith Richardson Foundation. From 2007-2009 primary funding was provided to Mr. Gordon by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, the Carnegie Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Brookings Endowment.

Garoyian: No substantive progress at Cyprus talks so far

2009-05-10T20:19:00.001+03:00

(TGA News) - NEW YORK.- President of the House of Representatives Marios Garoyian has said that, despite the sincere political will and the constructive initiatives on behalf of the Greek Cypriot side, no substantive progress has been achieved so far at the negotiating table on the Cyprus issue.

Garoyian, who held a meeting on Thursday with his Maltese counterpart Louis Galea, expressed the gratitude of Cyprus for the support of Malta regarding the Cyprus problem and informed his Maltese counterpart about recent developments in the Cyprus issue.

He also referred to the continuous efforts of the Greek Cypriot side for the achievement of an agreed, just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem, according to the UN Security Council resolutions and the EU principles and values.

“Unfortunately”, Garoyian added, “Ankara holds the key for the solution of the Cyprus problem and Turkey insists on unacceptable positions for a solution based on a confederation and two separate states”.

Referring to the ongoing talks between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, which began last September, Garoyian pointed out that “despite the sincere political will and the constructive initiatives on behalf of the Greek Cypriot side, no substantive progress has been achieved so far”.

The Maltese official, who is currently in Cyprus for the UN International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace, referred to the UN meeting which took place in Nicosia and expressed conviction that parliamentary diplomacy could further contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the Mediterranean region and help international efforts to reach a solution of the Middle East problem.

According to an official press release, Garoyian and Galea also exchanged views on ways to further promote bilateral relations.

Garoyian extended an invitation to Galea to pay an official visit to Cyprus.

The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, began in early September 2008 direct negotiations with a view to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem and reunite the island, which has been divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974.

EU must obey Nicosia's rulings, even in north Cyprus, EU court says

2009-04-28T12:17:00.005+03:00

(Earth Times) - Luxembourg - European Union member states must enforce rulings by courts in the Greek half of Cyprus even if they cover property in the Turkish-controlled north of the island, the EU's highest court ruled on Tuesday. "A judgment of a court in the Republic of Cyprus must be recognized and enforced by the other (EU) member states even if it concerns land situated in the north of the island," the European Court of Justice said in a statement. The ruling comes in a complex legal dispute pitting a British couple, David and Linda Orams, against a Greek Cypriot, Meletis Apostolides, whose family was forced to leave Northern Cyprus during the Turkish invasion of 1974. Apostolides sued the Orams for buying his family's land from an unnamed third party and building a holiday home on it, demanding that they give him the land back and pay him rent. A Cypriot court backed Apostolides' claim, ordering the Orams to leave the land and pay him damages and costs. Apostolides then took that ruling to Britain, demanding that the British courts enforce it. Tuesday's precedent-setting ruling means that the British courts will have to accept Apostolides' demand, even though there is no way for the Cypriot court to enforce its judgment on the divided island. "The fact that the land concerned is situated in an area over which the government does not exercise effective control ... does not preclude the recognition and enforcement of those judgments in another member state," the court statement said.

Το ΔΕΚ δικαίωσε το Μελέτη Αποστολίδη στην υπόθεση Όραμας

2009-04-28T12:08:00.003+03:00

(Phileleftheros) - Λουξεμβούργο: Το Δικαστήριο Ευρωπαϊκών Κοινοτήτων δικαίωσε σήμερα το Μελέτη Αποστολίδη στην υπόθεση εναντίον του ζεύγους Όραμς. Ο Αποστολίδης είχε κινηθεί νομικά εναντίον του ζεύγους Όραμας επειδή είχαν ανεγείρει οικία σε γη που του ανήκει στην κατεχόμενη Κερύνεια και αρχικά δικαιώθηκε από κυπριακό δικαστήριο. Ωστόσο, πρωτόδικη απόφαση βρετανικού δικαστηρίου υποστήριζε ότι αυτή δεν μπορούσε να εκτελεστεί από τη βρετανική δικαιοσύνη.

Ο Αποστολίδης εφεσίβαλε την απόφαση με αποτέλεσμα το Εφετείο της Βρετανίας να αποστείλει στο Δικαστήριο Ευρωπαϊκών Κοινοτήτων την υπόθεση για τη λήψη τελικής απόφασης.

Σε δηλώσεις του από το Λουξεμβούργο, ο δικηγόρος του Ελληνοκύπριου Μελέτη Αποστολίδη, Κωνσταντής Καντούνας, είπε πως η απόφαση είναι 100% υπέρ των θέσεων του κ. Αποστολίδη.

Greek Cypriots 'can reclaim land'

2009-04-28T12:02:00.002+03:00

(BBC) - A European court has backed the right of a Greek Cypriot to reclaim land in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus that has since been sold to a UK couple.

Meletis Apostolides was one of thousands of Greek Cypriots who fled his home when Turkish forces invaded in 1974, following a Greek-inspired coup.

The land was later sold to Linda and David Orams, who built a villa on it.

The European Court of Justice says a ruling in a Cypriot court that the villa must be demolished is applicable.

Even if the ECJ ruling cannot be enacted because the land is under Turkish Cypriot control, it means Mr Apostolides will be able to pursue a claim for compensation in a British court.

It could also open the way for hundreds more Greek Cypriots to demand restitution for properties they were forced to flee.

British Couple Must Demolish Cyprus Home, EU Top Court Says

2009-04-28T11:24:00.003+03:00

(Bloomberg) -- A U.K. couple ordered by a Southern Cyprus court to demolish their holiday home in the northern part of the island, are bound by the ruling, the European Union’s highest court said.

The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg today said that a judgment from a judge in the Republic of Cyprus in the south must be recognized by EU countries even if it concerns land in the northern part of the island.

Linda and David Orams, a retired British couple have been entangled in litigation across Europe since the court’s 2004 order. Their dispute took a twist when London’s Court of Appeal in 2007 questioned whether the ruling could be enforced in Northern Cyprus, an area recognized only by Turkey and not part of the EU.

The ruling, which can’t be appealed and has to be followed by the U.K. court, has implications for thousands of Britons who own property in Northern Cyprus. The Orams, from Hove, England, said they invested 160,000 pounds ($230,000) in their holiday home in Lapithos, a region in the north occupied by Turkish troops in 1974.

The Cypriot court ordered the Orams to tear down their property in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, return the land and pay damages to Meletis Apostolides, an architect whose Greek Cypriot family originally owned the land.

Apostolides applied to have the judgment recognized in the U.K. which would allow him to seize the couple’s assets. He argued that since the U.K. and Cyprus were both EU member nations, the ruling was enforceable across the region.

The case is C-420/07 Apostolides v Orams.

ECJ to rule on Orams

2009-04-25T18:03:00.003+03:00

(Cyprus Weekly) - FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS FOR PROPERTY ISSUE

The European Court of Justice will on Tuesday rule on the high profile Orams case which is set to have far reaching effects on the issue of refugee properties in Cyprus.

The ECJ preliminary decision will determine whether EU citizens who are penalised by Cypriot courts for buying refugee property in the occupied part of Cyprus, can have the Cypriot court decision enforced against them in their home country under EU Regulation 44/2001.

It follows an appeal by Greek Cypriot refugee Meletis Apostolides, who sought to enforce a 2004 local court decision in the UK against David and Linda Orams for illegally building a luxury villa on his Lapithos property.

The Advocate General of the ECJ Juliane Kokott in an opinion published in December 2008 fully endorsed Apostolides’ arguments, expressing also the view that the negotiation efforts to solve the Cyprus problem do not constitute public policy grounds on which to reject the appeal.

But Apostolides’ lawyer Constantis Candounas in a press release this week stressed that the Advocate General’s Opinion is not binding on the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice.

Apostolides and his lawyer will give a conference on their return from Luxembourg.

Irrespective of the final outcome, Apostolides expressed thanks to the Government of Poland, the Hellenic Republic, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus as well as the Commission of the European Communities for submitting written observations in the proceedings before the ECJ.

Archaeologists Unearth Oldest Temple in Region

2009-03-28T06:20:00.003+02:00

(Cyprus Weekly) - ITALIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH OLDEST TEMPLE IN REGION

EXCLUSIVE By Demetra Molyva

Archaeologists have uncovered what they believe is the most ancient religious site in Cyprus and unique to the Mediterranean

The one of a kind, triangular shaped temple at Pyrgos-Mavroraki, outside Limassol, dates back to around 2,000 BC - beating previous discoveries by a thousand years.

It was unearthed by a team of Italian archaeologists led by Rome-based expert Maria Rosaria-Belgiorno of the Archaeological Mission of the Italian National Council for Research.

“This is the first evidence of religion in Cyprus at the beginning of the second millennium BC,” she told The Cyprus Weekly from Rome.

“The temple is the most ancient found in Cyprus and of a unique triangular shape. The finding sheds new light on the existence of religion on the island, since the oldest temple found in Cyprus before that was Kition and Enkomi, both dating to 1,000 BC,” she added.
The temple is not a rural sanctuary, but part of an urban, industrial settlement.

“We found no statues, although there is evidence that it is a monotheist temple. The most important thing is the altar and the blood channel running on two sides.”

The site is not Aegean-like, but resembles temples in Palestine and of the Canaanite religion, and has links to descriptions in the Bible.

“Among the finds we found stone horns which are more ancient than the consecration horns found in Kouklia, Enkomi, Kition, and Myrthou (Pighades) seven centuries later,” Belgiorno said.

The temple was brought to light during excavations in 2008, south of the industrial complex discovered previously.

The religious purpose of the building is confirmed by the materials found, including four calcarenite horns and bones from sacrificed animals.

The mission’s excavations at Pyrgos-Mavroraki began in 1998, and brought to light a protopalatial architectural unit of 4,000 sq. m of the third millennium BC.

Of particular importance was the discovery of an industrial zone, focusing on the production of olive oil, wine and aromatic essences.

An exhibition entitled “Cyprus, a site 4, 000 years old and experimental archaeology on the olive oil, perfumes, metallurgy and textiles of Pyrgos/Mavroraki” opens at the Etrusco National Museum in Viterbo, Italy on April 2.

Warning about purchasing in the "TRNC"

2009-03-23T21:23:00.002+02:00

This web site was setup by disgruntled British property buyers in the north occupied part of the island.

Prominent Greek Americans send letter to President Obama and VP Biden

2009-03-22T03:11:00.004+02:00

Greek American leaders send letter on the eve of the White House Greek Independence Day Celebration asking US leaders to reverse decision of administration officials to meet with Mr. Talat.

The letter:

March 20, 2009
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The Honorable Joseph Biden
Vice President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Obama and Vice President Biden:
It has come to our attention that certain officials in your Administration are considering actions that are on the verge of extending the Bush Administration doctrine even further by establishing a Cyprus policy that contradicts both of your clearly articulated views on the issue. Please intervene before they cause America problems that will take years to correct.

Your Administration has not yet held high level contacts with either the President or the Foreign Minister of Cyprus. Thus, we are shocked to learn from a statement by the Turkish-Cypriot spokesman in Cyprus that they are now on the verge of establishing this Administration’s de facto recognition of an illegal entity in Cyprus’ militarily occupied area, while ignoring the internationally recognized Cyprus government. We understand that they plan to do this through high level Administration meetings with the leader of the pseudo-state before meetings with the President or Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus.

You said to us in 2007, Mr. President, that America was “able to rely on Cyprus in the War on Terror and we were able to rely on Cyprus during the Lebanon Crisis.” Cyprus again demonstrated its support for U.S. security efforts by recently stopping an arms shipment from Iran to Hamas at U.S. urging. The last time Cyprus took such an action, Syria retaliated by taking a step toward de facto recognition of the occupied area of Cyprus by establishing ferry boat service to the north. If the people in your Administration follow through with these meetings, particularly before meeting with the government of Cyprus, our country will have punished Cyprus in the same way Syria did, by taking a step toward de facto recognition of the occupied area.

We know that you want, as you said to us, a “solution to the situation in Cyprus…based on the rule of law, not on force, one that is based on UN resolutions passed on the Cyprus issue, and on the very principles and standards of the EU….” Yet, the occupied area of Cyprus, with which your people are aligning you, is an anathema to those principles -- forced into place by more Turkish troops on that little island than America has in Afghanistan. Such de facto recognition will further solidify Turkish insistence on unreasonable Cyprus settlement provisions that virtually all Democrats on the Senate European Affairs Subcommittee objected to and which even a majority of the Republicans on that Subcommittee called “unacceptable to western democracies” in a letter to President Bush.

We understand that the Administration supports Turkey’s eventual accession into the European Union, as does the Republic of Cyprus. Pursuing anything that suggests de facto recognition of the occupation regime would not only be contrary to countless UN Security Council resolutions, but it would perhaps force the Republic of Cyprus to reconsider its stance with regard to Turkey and the EU.

Please overturn these misguided actions by people in your Administration. The Greek-American community that has been so committed to your Presidency and Vice Presidency, and the hope that they believed it would bring to the militarily occupied nation of Cyprus, will be devastated.

Sincerely,

Andrew A. Athens
Philip Christopher
Andy Manatos
Peter Papanicolaou
Nikos Mouyiaris
George Tsunis
Tasos Zambas
Endy Zemenides
Zenon Christodoulou
George Dovellos
Michael Galanakis

Turkey has to allow Christians to repair their destroyed churches

2009-03-21T03:24:00.003+02:00

(Cyprus Weekly) - Church opens Brussels office

If Turkey wishes to have a European future, it has to allow Orthodox Christians to repair their destroyed churches and give them the opportunity to visit them whenever they wish, Archbishop Chrystostomos said in Brussels this week.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Office of the Representation of the Church of Cyprus to the EU, in the heart of the Belgian capital, Chrysostomos said the Church has the obligation to inform its EU partners about the continuous destruction, looting and desecration of the Greek Orthodox religious sites by the Turkish army in the Turkish-held north.

“Our churches have been looted and destroyed and despite everything, our efforts to be allowed to repair them at our own expenses have been fruitless. On the contrary, their own holy sites in the government controlled areas have been maintained by our government. And they are allowed to use them whenever they wish,” Chrysostomos said.

The Archbishop stressed that 50,000 icons, frescoes, religious mosaics and other religious relics have been stolen from the places of worship in the occupied areas, since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

Some have been located in European and other auction houses and coordinated efforts by the church and the government have led to the repatriation of some of them after paying huge amounts of money.

Chrysostomos warned that the Church of Cyprus will go to the European Court of Human Rights and claim all legal remedies.

The office is headed by Bishop of Neapolis Porfyrios who also represents the Church in the EU.

Present at the inauguration ceremony were European officials including EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, MEPs, ambassadors from various countries, various representatives of Orthodox Churches and Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou.

Denial of the Armenian Genocide ... what more excuses can Turkey come up with?

2009-03-19T17:45:00.004+02:00

(IHT) - Turkey warns US on Armenian genocide resolution

ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey's foreign minister says a resolution by the U.S. Congress calling killings by Ottoman Turks genocide could harm his country's efforts to improve ties with Armenia.

Ali Babacan says that Turkey and Armenia are already discussing the 1915 killings and "steps that could be taken by third countries on the issue would not bring any good but harm this process." He spoke Wednesday.

Babacan says "we hope parliamentarians, parliaments become aware of this process and act responsibly."

The resolution introduced Tuesday could undermine efforts by President Barack Obama to win help on key foreign policy goals from NATO ally Turkey. Obama will visit Turkey early April.

It was unclear whether the resolution has sufficient support to pass in the House of Representatives.

Marios Matsakis on Turkish Troops (Video)

2009-03-19T03:53:00.004+02:00

A brief speech by Cypriot Member of the European Parliament Marios Matsakis on the role of NATO in the security architecture of the EU (transcript below):

Marios Matsakis: Madam President, NATO is the backbone of European defence, and we do rely on NATO forces for the security of our Union. But NATO forces in Cyprus – Turkish NATO forces – are not a force of freedom, but one of occupation: occupation of EU territory. These Turkish forces not only have they caused death and destruction to the island when Turkey invaded in 1974, but they today continue to keep an EU Member State divided, causing fear and oppression to both Greek and Turkish Cypriots and obstructing the current negotiations between the two Community leaders on the island.

So, in discussing NATO’s important role in European defence, it is fair to remember that the EU has not yet put the necessary pressure on Turkey to get its NATO invasion army out of Cyprus unconditionally and immediately. Don't you agree with me, Mr Solana? Perhaps he is not listening. Don't you agree that the Turkish army should leave Cyprus immediately, Mr Solana? Thank you.

Mean Machine

2009-03-15T13:00:00.008+02:00

(Click image to enlarge)

Photo of Petter Solberg from Norway and his co-driver Philip Mills driving their Citroen Xsara during the Cyprus rally WRC. The Rally of Cyprus has just finished with Loeb coming in first, driving a Citroen C4, finishing 27.2 seconds clear of second-place finisher Mikko Hirvonen of Finland in a Ford Focus with Petter Solberg of Norway in third-place finish.

Stolen Harvest

2009-03-14T20:16:00.003+02:00

A group of Turkish settlers accompanied by Turkish troops trespassed into a Greek Cypriot farm today and stole harvested wheat.

The violation of it all eats at you:

Bodies Found in a Mass Grave

2009-03-13T19:34:00.007+02:00

The eight coffins with remains of Ioannis, 77, Christina, 68, Michalis Michael, 42, Margarita, 48, with her daughters Eleni, 25, Cristina, 23, and Iliada, 18, and the two year old Loukas, are seen in a Greek Orthodox church during a funeral service in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, March 8, 2009. The remains of Liassis and Michael family were discovered in a mass grave near the village of Palekythro where they, according to eyewitness accounts, were killed during the 1974 Turkish invasion.

ECHR Ruled Turkey had Violated Property Rights

2009-03-03T20:51:00.011+02:00

ECHR ruled Tuesday that Turkey had violated the property rights of a Greek Orthodox foundation on the Aegean island of Bozcaada (Tenedos) by seizing its land and ordered the government of Turkey to pay damages.

The ECHR judgment itself is available only in French, but the Court's press release in English can be found here.

A snippet from the Court's press release below:

The Court held unanimously that there had been a violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) of the European Convention on Human Rights, on account of the refusal of the Turkish courts to register the immovable property of the applicant foundation in the land register in its name.

Under Article 41 (just satisfaction) of the Convention, the Court awarded the applicant 100,000 euros (EUR) in respect of pecuniary damage and EUR 5,000 for costs and expenses.

Flamingo birds standing in shallow water

2009-03-02T07:36:00.006+02:00

(Click on Image to enlarge)

Flamingos stand in a salt lake in coastal town of Larnaca, some 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, March 1, 2009. The salt lake in Larnaca is a popular stopping-point on the migration routes of more than 300 species of birds. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Deja vu ... Executing Civilians ... Old habits die hard?

2009-03-01T00:15:00.006+02:00

(BBC) - Kurdish 'grave sites' to be dug

By Sarah Rainsford
BBC News, Istanbul

A Turkish prosecutor has ordered the digging up of several sites where it is believed the bodies of Kurds killed in the 1990s may have been dumped.

Hundreds of people disappeared at the height of the fighting in the mainly Kurdish south-east.

Human rights lawyers say many were last seen with security forces members.

The Kurdish conflict, which began in the 1980s when insurgents started fighting for a separate Kurdish state, still continues today.

Close to 40,000 people have been killed.

More than 70 families applied to a prosecutor in the town of Silopi after information emerged suggesting the location of their relatives' bodies.

The prosecutor has ordered the excavation of two old well-shafts behind an abandoned roadside restaurant.

Another site to be dug is on the grounds of a storage facility of the Botash oil company.

Human rights lawyers also want to examine parts of a municipal cemetery where they believe a mass grave of the missing could be found.

Missing politicians

Hundreds of Kurdish civilians have been missing, presumed dead, since the height of the Kurdish conflict in the region in the mid-1990s.

Lawyers began pushing for permission to dig certain sites after a former security officer, now in hiding abroad, gave information about the torture and execution of Kurdish civilians.

They were also boosted by the unprecedented arrest of military members, retired and active, in connection with an alleged plot to topple the government.

Several of the men now in custody were in command in the Kurdish conflict region in the 1990s.

The lawyers argue prosecutors should broaden the scope of that coup trial to include a full investigation of the alleged crimes against the Kurds.

Most recently two politicians disappeared in 2001 after they were called for questioning at the local headquarters of the military police.

In that case and others the European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of violating the right to life, but here in Turkey itself the families of the missing have never found justice - or the bodies of their relatives.

Property Talks Drag On

2009-02-27T17:09:00.003+02:00

(Cyprus Weekly) - President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat are going nowhere fast on the complex property issue.

A large question still hangs over this chapter with an apparent inability by the leaders to bridge a fundamental divide on property.

Christofias himself has admitted there are “serious differences” and this week’s three-hour meeting between the two was still bogged down on the criteria to be agreed on to resolve property matters.

“They have been discussing for the last two weeks or so the criteria to define the parameters under which the discussions should continue,” said UN chief of mission Taye-Brook Zerihoun.

“After that they will make a decision whether those discussions will continue in other fora,” he added.

It is understood that Talat wants a property committee established to thrash out thorny problems.
While the Greek Cypriot side’s core argument is the restitution of property rights to refugees, Talat is said to be steering discussions into one of compensation and land swaps rather than uphold the original owner’s right to their home.

UN special envoy Alexander Downer has gathered his own team of experts to help him grasp the complexities of such negotiations.

Since fresh peace talks were launched last September the leaders have met 20 times – including three on property -- in a process turning out to be a test of endurance.

Negotiations will resume next Thursday and after that the leaders have decided to move on to discuss EU-related matters.

Viewing News dated :26/02/2009 18:41:38

Suicide Related to the Ergenekon Case

2009-02-26T20:43:00.003+02:00

A senior Turkish police officer has been found dead in his car in what Turkish authorities claim is a suicide related to the Ergenekon case. Political analysts say that the people who constitute the "Deep State" are members of Ergenekon.

Turkish authorities said the dead man is Behcet Oktay--former head of the police special forces. Oktay was dismissed from his post two days ago after thirteen years as head of the Special Forces. Oktay was found dead in his car in an Ankara parking place with a bullet wound in his head. His predecessor, a prime suspect now in custody, had named Oktay as a member of the Ergenekon group.

The hard-line nationalist Ergenekon organization appears to be made up of (former and present) army officers, police officers, journalists, and other influential people who have allegedly been plotting to kill government officials and overthrow the Turkish government.

A Killer is a Candidate in the Upcoming "TRNC" Elections

2009-02-23T00:23:00.010+02:00

Turkish settler, Kenan Akin, who killed Greek Cypriot Solomos Solomou during an anti occupation buffer zone protest back in 1996 said he would not hesitate to shoot him again. In an interview to a Greek daily, Akin said he would not travel abroad as he won't do anyone a favor and get arrested.

The Turkish settler currently has Interpol and Cyprus police warrants pending against him. He further claimed that the Republic of Cyprus does not have any credible evidence against him, suggesting that his bullet wasn't the one that killed Solomou.

Akin is a candidate in the upcoming illegal parliamentary elections which are to be held in the occupied areas. His running for "parliamentary elections" was mentioned in the Kibris Gazetesi, a Turkish Cypriot newspaper.

An English translation of the relevant excerpts from the Kibris Gazetsi:

KENAN AKIN now ORP candidate: Kenan Akin once a Democratic Party (DP) Minister of Agriculture, is once more in the political arena now. But this time running for parliamentary elections not from DP (Democratic Party) list, but competing at the 5th row from the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) Magusa (Famagusta) list. According to sources of information, ORP President Turgay Avci is in the 1st row , followed by Deputy Erden Ozaskin in the 2nd row, and ORP Secretary-General Baghdad Sinan in the 3rd place. 4th row in the list is vacant yet while Kenan Akin is at the 5th row. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism Hasan Kiliç's is also reported to be candidate for ORP's Magusa list, while there are talks about Nazmiye Çelebi, a teacher, also running for candidacy from Magusa list. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Coordinator Alper Zorlu's is also rumored to be ORP candidate from Iskele district.

Olgac is being investigated for the killing of 10 Greek Cypriots

2009-02-22T13:47:00.011+02:00

An investigation into claims which were later retracted by the Turkish actor, Attila Olgac, that during the 1974 invasion--he personally executed 10 Greek Cypriots in cold blood has been launched by the Istanbul public prosecutor.

The prosecutor has asked the Kanal Turk TV station to hand over the original footage of the talk show interview in which the actor made his claims.

It’s also been disclosed that the public official is planning to subpoena as witnesses the show’s presenters as well, with the outcome of the investigation determining whether or not Attila Olgac will be referred to the Hague war crimes tribunal for trial.

A parallel investigation on Attila Olgac’s actions during the 1974 invasion of Cyprus is being carried out by Turkey’s military.

Legal problems with Northern Cyprus property

2009-02-20T11:31:00.002+02:00

(Times Online) - Following a ruling by the European court, British owners face huge damages

Kasia Maciejowska

Britons who bought holiday homes in Northern Cyprus may be forced to pay thousands of pounds in damages to the original Greek Cypriot owners of the land, following a ruling by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. The judgment, expected later this year, will conclude a case that began in 2005, when a Cypriot court ordered a British couple, Linda and David Orams, to demolish their villa to pay compensation to Meledis Apostolides — the Greek Cypriot legal owner of the land. Like many other Britons, the Orams bought the land from Turkish Cypriots who took ownership illegally following the Turkish invasion of 1974, when an estimated 170,000 Greek Cypriots fled their homes. The case was referred to the EU court after the Orams opposed the ruling. The Advocate General, whose opinion is usually followed, has backed the Greek Cypriots. If this opinion is upheld, damages to the dispossessed population could be enforced against any assets owned elsewhere in the EU by non-Greek property owners.

Cypriot Dams Still Low Despite Rain

2009-02-20T02:24:00.007+02:00

Kalavasos Dam / Cyprus: Extremely low water level at Kalavasos dam. Video taken on Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:34 PM (+2 GMT).

A rainy week has failed to have a major impact on Cyprus' overall water storage and officials are warning that a lot more rain has to fall to ease a chronic water shortage. At this moment, 40 million cubic metres of water has been collected in the reservoirs, which equates to 13.5% of their total capacity.

US SENATOR - VISITS TO CYPRUS,GREECE AND TURKEY

2009-02-16T09:31:00.003+02:00

(CNA) - US Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) will travel to Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. The primary focus of his trip is the political situation in Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

Durbin left US on Saturday, traveling first to Cyprus, then on to Greece and Turkey. Stops in Nicosia, Athens, Ankara and Istanbul are currently planned, a news release issued by Durbin`s office said.

“For more than a generation, the situation in Cyprus has left an island and a region divided,” Durbin said. “Cyprus, Greece and Turkey are all vital allies of the United States and important to the region. We all hope that a peaceful and enduring settlement can be reached,” he added.

According to the news release, Durbin is not traveling as a representative of the Obama Administration. Durbin’s position as a member of the Senate Leadership and Appropriations Committee comes with the responsibility to lead delegations on official visits with senior foreign government officials regarding issues affecting United States bilateral and regional relationships. The trip will give Durbin the ability to gain firsthand knowledge of progress in the region and the challenges that still lie ahead.

Alexis Giannoulias, Illinois State Treasurer, will travel with the Senator for a portion of the trip. Florida Congressman Robert Wexler (D, FL-19) will be traveling in Turkey next week and may join Durbin for a series of meetings.

Open Letter to the Turkish Cypriot Community

2009-02-12T18:07:00.006+02:00

Open letter from Euro MP Marios Matsakis to the Turkish Cypriot Community

Dear Turkish Cypriot co-patriots,

In June this year elections will be held in Cyprus (and in the rest of the European Union), for the election of members of the European Parliament. All Cypriots are eligible to vote and be voted in these elections. This applies equally, of course, to all the Turkish Cypriots who are EU citizens as of the 1st of May 2004. As with all other Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots must apply before the 2nd of April for their names to be put on the Electoral Register. Once this is done they can exercise their right to vote and/or to declare their candidacy if they so wish.

Inevitably, voting has to take place in the Government controlled areas of Cyprus but this shouldn't be much of a problem as there is free access across the Green Line and since distances in Cyprus are very small.

It is with much regret that I have been informed that, the spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Talat has yesterday stated his opposition to the participation of Turkish Cypriots in June´s European Parliament elections.

This, in my view, is not a very constructive attitude to have. If Turkish Cypriots exercise their right to vote and be voted, they can elect 1-2 Turkish Cypriot representatives in the European Parliament and surely this cannot be a bad thing for the Turkish Cypriot Community.

Neither will it interfere with the current negotiations for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. On the contrary, it will enhance the trust between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots and will increase the chances of achieving an amicable solution in the near future.

Dear co- patriots, the right to vote and be voted is sacred. And the European Union Elections are important for you just as much as for all citizens across Europe. Do not waste the opportunity to exercise this right and chose your representative(s) in the European Parliament.

PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE ELECTIONS NOW AND LET YOUR CHOICE COUNT!

Dr. Marios Matsakis,

Cypriot Member of the European Parliament

Utter shock at Turkish star's Cyprus revelations

2009-01-23T22:14:00.006+02:00

(Famagusta Gazette) - A popular Turkish television star has revealed how he personally shot dead ten Greek Cypriot soldiers during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

The star, Attila Alkac, made the disturbing claims while being interviewed on a television show in Turkey.

The revelations have sent public opinion in both Cyprus and Turkey reeling, in particular the actor's graphic and clear recollections have left many in shock.

The actor said he first shot dead a 19-year-old prisoner of war, then another nine POWs.

He said said since the killings he has “not been able to stand the sight of blood or eat meat.”

It is thought that he may now be called before the missing persons committee, who describe the revelations as “shocking'.

Mayor of Cypriot 'ghost town' presses EU on Turkey membership

2009-01-21T19:30:00.006+02:00

From the The Parliament:

The mayor of the Cypriot “ghost town” of Famagusta has called on the EU to press for the removal of Turkish troops from the area.

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Alexis Galanos, a Greek Cypriot, said that negotiations on Turkish membership of the EU should be made conditional on such a move.

He said, “If Turkish troops are withdrawn, that would represent a step closer to finding a solution to the whole Cyprus problem.”

The coastal town, once one of the most modern and developed on the divided island, has been occupied by Turkish troops since the Turkish invasion in 1974. It is fenced off, empty and now widely known as a ghost town.

It is one of nine municipalities which have maintained their legal status but have been temporarily relocated to the government-controlled areas until the reunification of Cyprus.

The mayor and municipal council of these municipalities are elected by the refugees who used to live in them before 1974.

Read the full article here.

Lobbying Arm for the Turkish Government

2008-07-07T10:34:00.005+03:00

I have received this email from the Cyprus Action Network of America and will post it verbatim:

cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
reply-to cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
to cycritic
date Mon, Jul 7, 2008 at 1:55 AM
subject WASHINGTON POST COVERS TURKISH EMBASSY CORRUPTION AND MANIPULATION

WASHINGTON POST COVERS TURKISH EMBASSY CORRUPTION AND MANIPULATION
For Immediate Release: July 7, 2008

Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935

NEW YORK—The Washington Post reported in its Saturday edition on the ongoing corruption and manipulation of American scholarship by the Turkish government, Susan Kinzie’s article “Board Members Resign to Protest Chair’s Ousting Leader in Georgetown-Based Agency Encouraged Scholars to Research Mass Killing of Armenians” details the most recent scandal surrounding the ITS (Institute of Turkish Studies) founded with a $3 million dollar grant paid directly by the Turkish government.

Beginning in the 1980s, in response to the Congressional arms embargo of the 1970s following Turkey’s criminal military invasion of Cyprus, the Turkish Embassy in Washington DC, under the leadership of then Turkish Ambassador Sukru Elekdag, initiated a far flung campaign in America to whitewash Turkish criminal history. The practically non-existent ,apathetic community of Turks in America, was reorganized with the help of millions of dollars of funding-- buying high priced advisors to set up such Cyprus Invasion denying entities as the Washington DC-Based “American Friends of Turkey” the ATC (American Turkish Council) recently reorganized under the new name “Turkish Coalition of America” ,the ATAA (Assembly of Turkish American Associations) and the New York-New Jersey-Based FTAA (Federation of Turkish American Associations) whose job was to organize a “Turkish-American” parade to counter the decades long parade by Greek-Americans on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

The Parade like the funding of Turkish ‘academic’ institutes was set up for the dual purposes of Genocide denial and Cyprus Invasion denial. According to the Turkish Daily News ( May 21, 2007) “In the 1980s the parade was a platform where Turkish Americans tried to draw the attention of American public to some of Turkey's international conflicts such as those with Armenia and Greek Cyprus…The first official Turkish Day Parade in the city was held on April 23 1980. Those who attended that parade remember vividly that there were only two flags in the 150 people cortege. The FTAA could not get a permit for the parade in 1981 either. In 1982 however, with support from Ankara FTAA was able to get the permit to organize first official Turkish Day Parade. It was decided that the parade would take place on the weekend that is closest to May 19th,” (NOTE: May 19th is the day in 1919 that Turk leader Mustafa Kemal landed in Pontus to perpetrate the Pontian Genocide, In Turkey this is celebrated as “Turkish liberation day”)

Greek-American scholar Speros Vryonis wrote the first detailed academic study of Turkish government manipulation of American scholarship in his monumental work “The Turkish State and History: Clio Meets the Grey Wolf.” Vryonis documents the ITS (Institute of Turkish Studies) attempt to manipulate American scholarship, and in turn US public opinion, with the granting of monies to Genocide deniers, activities that question the objectivity of this group and its role in essentially lobbying on behalf of the Turkish Embassy.

Turkey has also bankrolled the establishment of endowed Chairs of Turkish Studies at various American universities, at least one such Chair, the endowed Chair of Turkish Studies at Portland State University , paid for directly by funding from the Turkish Embassy, is involved in actively producing Cyprus Invasion denial literature, and is home to the “Cyprus Peace Initiative”. The “Cyprus Peace Initiative” actively lobbied for the discredited, so-called Annan Plan, which made provisions that call for Turkish military to remain and intervene over all of Cyprus.

The Washington Post article follows on the heels of a long list of credible news outlets that have reported on Turkey’s false historical revisionism and the Turkish Embassy’s morally bankrupt attempts to present a distorted image of Turkey’s true face to the American public.

(Article is reproduced for Fair Use and Educational Purposes)

Board Members Resign to Protest Chair's Ousting
Leader in Georgetown-Based Agency Encouraged Scholars to Research Mass Killing of Armenians

By Susan Kinzie
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 5, 2008; B05

The issue that has roiled U.S.-Turkish relations in recent months -- how to characterize the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 -- has set off a dispute over politics and academic freedom at an institute housed at Georgetown University.

Several board members of the Institute of Turkish Studies have resigned this summer, protesting the ouster of a board chairman who wrote that scholars should research, rather than avoid, what he characterized as an Armenian genocide.

Within weeks of writing about the matter in late 2006, Binghamton University professor Donald Quataert resigned from the board of governors, saying the Turkish ambassador to the United States told him he had angered some political leaders in Ankara and that they had threatened to revoke the institute's funding.

After a prominent association of Middle Eastern scholars learned about it, they wrote a letter in May to the institute, the Turkish prime minister and other leaders asking that Quataert be reinstated and money for the institute be put in an irrevocable trust to avoid political influence.

The ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, H.E. Nabi Sensoy, denied that he had any role in Quataert's resignation. In a written statement, he said that claims that he urged Quataert to leave are unfounded and misleading.

The dispute shows the tensions between money and scholarship, and the impact language can have on historical understanding.

Hundreds of thousands of Armenians were killed when the Ottoman Empire collapsed after World War I. Armenians and Turks bitterly disagree over whether it was a campaign of genocide, or a civil war in which many Turks were also killed.

In the fall, when Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) championed a bill that would characterize the events of 1915 to 1917 as genocide, the Bush administration fought it and several former defense secretaries warned that Turkish leaders would limit U.S. access to a military base needed for the war in Iraq.

The Turkish studies institute, founded in 1983, is independent from Georgetown University, but Executive Director David Cuthell teaches a course there in exchange for space on campus.

Julie Green Bataille, a university spokeswoman, wrote in an e-mail, "we will review this matter consistent with the importance of academic freedom and the fact that the institute is independently funded and governed."

The institute's funding, a $3 million grant, is entirely from Turkey.

A few years ago, Quataert said, members of the board checked on what they thought was an irrevocable blind trust "and to our surprise it turned out to be a gift that could be revoked by the Turkish government."

Quataert, a professor of history, said the institute has funded good scholarship without political influence. The selection of which studies to support is done by a committee of academics on the associate board, he said, and approved by the board, which includes business and political leaders. Never once, he said, did he think a grant application was judged on anything other than its academic merits.

He also noted that during his time there, no one applied for grants that would have been controversial in Turkey. Asked if any of the research characterized the events as genocide, Cuthell said, "My gut is no. It's that third rail."

Roger Smith, professor emeritus of government at the College of William and Mary, questioned whether the nonprofit institute deserves its tax-exempt status if there is political influence -- and whether it is an undeclared lobbying arm for the Turkish government.

Cuthell said none of the institute's critics ever bothered to check the truth of Quataert's account with the institute: It does not lobby, Cuthell said, and "the allegations of academic freedom simply don't hold up."

The controversy began quietly in late 2006 with a review of historian Donald Bloxham's book, "The Great Game of Genocide." Quataert wrote that the slaughter of Armenians has been the elephant in the room of Ottoman studies. Despite his belief that the term "genocide" had become a distraction, he said the events met the United Nations definition of the word.

He sent a letter of resignation to members of the institute in December 2006, and one board member resigned.

But in the fall, around the same time that Congress was debating the Armenian question, Quataert was asked to speak at a conference about what had happened at the institute. He told members of the Middle Eastern Studies Association that the ambassador told him he must issue a retraction of his book review or step down -- or put funding for the institute in jeopardy.

His colleagues were shocked, said Laurie Brand, director of the school of international relations at the University of Southern California.

Ambassador Sensoy, who is honorary chairman of the institute's board, said in a statement this week, "Neither the Turkish Government nor I have ever placed any pressure upon the ITS, for such interference would have violated the principle of the academic freedom, which we uphold the most. The Turkish Government and I will be the first to defend ITS from any such pressure."

Since the May 27 letter from the scholars association was sent, several associate and full members of the board have left. Marcie Patton, Resat Kasaba and Kemal Silay resigned; Fatma Muge Gocek said she would resign, and Birol Yesilada said his primary reason for stepping down at this time is his health, but that he is concerned about the conflicting accounts of what had happened. "It's a very difficult line that scholars walk," Patton said, "especially post-9/11, especially because of the Iraq war."

========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================

The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the people of Cyprus.

ECHR Finds Turkey Guilty (Yet Again)

2008-06-30T03:33:00.006+03:00

(The following article is reproduced for fair use and educational purposes)

The Online Newspaper of Romiossini:

European Court today: Turkey is guilty!

Brussels, 24/06/08:- Turkey was today found guilty in the European Court of Human Rights, in two cases of young Greek Cypriots who were murdered in 1996.

1. Anastasios Isaak was lynched by a mob of Turkish soldiers and Turkish Cypriot "policemen" and other Turkish and Turkish Cypriot extremists belonging to a nationalist group called "Grey Wolves". It happened in the buffer zone separating the turkish army occupied northern part of Cyprus from the southern part of the island.

2. Solomos Solomou was shot dead at short range, by Turkish soldiers when he attempted to climb up a Turkish flag pole in the buffer zone.

The Court unanimously ruled that Ankara is guilty of violating Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights in respect of the killing of Anastasios Isaak and Solomos Solomou.

The Court also ruled that Turkey is guilty of violating Article 2 in respect of the failure to conduct an effective investigation into the circumstances in which Anastasios Isaak and Solomos Solomou were killed.

Under Article 41 (just satisfaction) of the Convention, the Court awarded 80,000 euro to Anastasios Isaak’s widow for pecuniary damage. In respect of non-pecuniary damage, the Court awarded 35,000 euro each to Anastasios Isaak’s widow, his parents, and to Solomos Solomou’s father, and also 15,000 euro to each of Anastasios Isaak’s and Solomos Solomou’s siblings. The applicants in both cases were also awarded 12,000 for costs and expenses.

The two applications were filed to the Court by the families of Tasos Isaak and Solomou Solomou, both of whom were murdered by Turkish or Turkish Cypriots during demonstrations in 1996.

Click here for the judgment in the case of:
ISAAK v. TURKEY (Application no. 44587/98)
SOLOMOU AND OTHERS v. TURKEY (Application no. 36832/97)

Christofias declared Cyprus's sixth President

2008-03-02T14:43:00.006+02:00

Watch the video below of jubilant Demetris Christofias’ supporters who flocked to Nicosia’s Eleftheria Stadium to see their leader declared President of the Republic Of Cyprus:

Polls closed in Cyprus and the results...

2008-02-24T17:26:00.005+02:00

31.8% reporting

Christofias 53.90%
Kasoulides 46.10%

The results so far bode well for Mr. Christofias who looks increasingly likely that he will be the new President of Cyprus.

Update:

News agencies here in Cyprus call it for Christofias. He is the new President of Cyprus.

Γράμμα στον αγαπητό φίλο Τάσσο

2008-02-21T18:45:00.019+02:00

Στα γραφεία του ΔΗΣΥ

Συναγωνιστή Τάσσο,

To έργο που έκανες ήταν μεγάλο...

Δεν υπάρχουν 13 πληγές...

Δεν σου ξέφυγαν 153 σημεία...

Δεν "δουλεύεις" τον κυπριακό λαό...

Και αν είπα κάτι που σε ενόχλησε...

Σπουδαία τα λάχανα.

Tην ίδια ώρα στα γραφεία του ΑΚΕΛ

Σύντροφε Τάσσο,

Το έργο που έκανες ήταν μεγάλο...

Δεν επηρεάστηκες επειδή αποχώρησα από την συγκυβέρνηση...

Δεν σε έχω κατηγορίσει ότι αθέτησες το λόγo σου και ότι δεν με σέβεσε...

Εκανες το πιο σωστό χειρισμό με το Κυπριακό...

Και αν είπα κάτι που σε ενόχλησε...

Bάλε το στις κόκκινες γραμμές.

ECHR Judgment: Varnava and Others v. Turkey

2008-01-10T23:39:00.001+02:00

Turkey violated the rights of nine Greek Cypriot nationals who went missing when detained by the Turkish Army during its 1974 invasion of northern Cyprus, Europe's top human rights court ruled Thursday. The seven-judge panel said the case filed against Turkey by the families of 18 people who were originally captured and nine of whom remain missing after they were detained by Turkish forces was justified, and awarded representatives of the nine 4,000 (US$5,872) each in damages to cover legal costs and expenses. The court said it had accepted witness testimony "to seeing eight of the missing men in Turkish prisons in 1974." The body of one of the nine was found in 2007, but the other eight remain missing.

Below is the judgment in its entirety:

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

10.1.2008

Press release issued by the Registrar

CHAMBER JUDGMENT
VARNAVA AND OTHERS v. TURKEY

The European Court of Human Rights has today notified in writing its Chamber judgment1 in the case of Varnava and Others v. Turkey (application nos. 16064/90, 16065/90, 16066/90, 16068/90, 16069/90, 16070/90, 16071/90, 16072/90 and 16073/90).

The Court held:

· by six votes to one, that there had been a continuing violation of Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights concerning Turkey’s failure to conduct an effective investigation into the whereabouts and fate of nine of the applicants, who disappeared in life-threatening circumstances;

· by six votes to one, that there had been a continuing violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the Convention concerning the remaining nine applicants, relatives of the nine men who disappeared;

· by six votes to one, that there had been a continuing violation of Article 5 (right to liberty and security) concerning Turkey’s failure to conduct an effective investigation into the whereabouts and fate of the nine men, concerning whom there was an arguable claim that they had been deprived of their liberty at the time of their disappearance; and,

· unanimously, that no violation of Article 5 had been established concerning the alleged detention of the nine men.

Under Article 41 (just satisfaction), the Court held, by six votes to one, that the finding of violations constituted in itself sufficient just satisfaction for the non-pecuniary damage sustained by the applicants, and awarded them 4,000 euros (EUR), per application, for costs and expenses. (The judgment is available only in English.)

1. Principal facts

The applicants are or were 18 Cypriot nationals, nine of whom disappeared after being captured and detained during the Turkish military operations in northern Cyprus in July and August 1974. The other applicants (three of whom have since died and been replaced by their heirs) are or were relatives of the men who disappeared.

The applicants are or were: Andreas and his wife Giorghoulla Varnava, who lived in Lymbia; Andreas and his father Loizos Loizides (now deceased), who lived in Nicosia; Philippos Constantinou and his father Demetris Peyiotis, who lived in Nicosia; Demetris Theocharides and his mother Elli Theocharidou (now deceased), who lived in Nicosia; Panicos and his mother Chrysoula Charalambous, who lived in Limassol; Eleftherios and his father Christos Thoma (now deceased), who lived in Strovolos; Savvas and his wife Androula Hadjipanteli, who lived in Nicosia; Savvas and his father Georghios Apostolides, who lived in Strovolos; and, Leontis and his wife Yianoulla Sarma, who lived in Limassol. The applicants were born, respectively, in: 1947, 1949, 1954, 1907, 1954, 1929, 1953, 1914, 1955, 1935, 1951, 1921, 1938, 1938, 1955, 1928, 1947 and 1949.

Witnesses have testified to seeing eight of the missing men in Turkish prisons in 1974; they have been considered missing ever since. A number of the applicant parents also claimed that they had identified their missing sons in photographs published in Greek newspapers showing Greek-Cypriot prisoners of war. The body of the ninth missing man, Savvas Hadjipanteli, was discovered in 2007.

The applicants made the following claims:

Varnava and Sarma

In July and August 1974 Andreas Varnava and Leontis Sarma’s battalions was stationed in the vicinity of Mia Milia to man the Cypriot outposts. On the morning of 14 August 1974, Turkish military forces, supported by tanks and with air cover, launched an attack on the area. Cypriot forces retreated and the surrounding area was captured by the Turkish military forces.

Loizides

In July 1974 Andreas Loizides was serving in a battalion which was moved to the Lapithos area to support Greek Cypriot forces there. The soldiers were split up into various groups and the applicant was in charge of one of those. On 5 August 1974 they were over-powered by Turkish forces and ordered to retreat. Since 6 August 1974 none of the members of his group have seen Mr Loizides.

Constantinos

Mr Constantinos was posted with a section of his battalion to Lapithos. Following a full-scale attack from the Turkish Army on 6 August 1974, the group split up.

Theocharides

At about 04.30 hours on 26 July 1974 Mr Theocharides’ company came under attack from a Turkish paratroops battalion, with 20 tanks, who broke through Greek Cypriot lines, infiltrating the right flank of the applicant’s company. When his company was regrouped, he was missing.

Charalambous

On 24 July 1974 Mr Charalambous came under fire from Turkish soldiers while searching buses in the Koutsoventis Vounos area with two or three other soldiers. He was wounded in the right hand and on the left side of his ribs. After his wounds were cleaned and his gun loaded, he went back. He has not been seen again by his unit.

Thoma

On the morning of 20 July 1974 Eleftherios Thoma was involved in trying to prevent Turkish military forces landing in the area of "Pikro Nero", Kyrenia. At around 12.00 hours on 21 July the Turkish military forces which had landed, supported by tanks and with air cover, attacked Cypriot forces defending the area. The applicant’s battalion was ordered to retreat. After the battalion had been regrouped the applicant was missing.

Hadjipanteli

On 18 August 1974 Mr Hadjipanteli, a bank employee, was taken for questioning by Turkish soldiers. According to the applicants, representatives of the International Red Cross in Cyprus visited Pavlides Garage in the Turkish occupied sector of Nicosia and on 28 August 1974 recorded the names of 20 Greek Cypriots held there, including the applicant.

On 27 August 1974 a group of Turkish Cypriot civilians went to a bank where they emptied two safes and ordered a third to be opened, but they were told that the keys were with the applicant. Subsequently they returned with the keys for that safe, which the applicant always carried with him.

In 2007, in the context of the activity of the United Nations Committee of Missing Persons (CMP), human remains were exhumed from a mass grave near the Turkish Cypriot village of Galatia in the Karpas area. The remains of Mr Hadjipanteli were identified and several bullets were found in the grave. Mr Hadjipanteli’s medical certificate indicated a bullet wound to his skull, a bullet wound in his right arm and a wound on his right thigh.

The Turkish Government disputed that the applicants had been taken into captivity by the Turkish army during the military action in Cyprus in 1974. They considered that all the alleged "missing persons", except for Mr Hadjipanteli, were military personnel who died in action in July-August 1974. The Government noted that the International Red Cross had visited the Pavlides Garage, where Mr Hadjipanteli had allegedly been held, but his name did not appear in the list of Greek Cypriots held.

The Government of Cyprus submitted that the nine men went missing in areas under the control of the Turkish forces.

2. Procedure and composition of the Court

The nine applications were lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 25 January 1990. They were joined by the Commission on 2 July 1991, and declared admissible on 14 April 1998. They were transmitted to the Court on 1 November 1999.

The Cypriot Government submitted observations on the merits of the case.

Judgment was given by a Chamber of seven judges, composed as follows:

Boštjan Zupančič, (Slovenian), President,
Elisabet Fura-Sandström, (Swedish),
Alvina Gyulumyan, (Armenian),
Egbert Myjer, (Dutch),
David Thór Björgvinsson, (Icelandic),
Isabelle Berro-Lefèvre, (Monegasque), judges,
Gönül Erönen, (Turkish), ad hoc judge,

and also Santiago Quesada, Section Registrar.

3. Summary of the judgment2

Complaints

The applicants relied on Articles 2 (right to life), 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment), 4 (prohibition of forced labour), 5 (right to liberty and security), 6 (right to a fair trial), 8 (right to respect for private and family life), 10 (freedom of expression), 12 (right to marry), 13 (right to an effective remedy) and 14 (prohibition of discrimination).

Decision of the Court

Article 2

The Court noted that the fate of the nine missing men, and whether they had been unlawfully killed, was largely unknown. While Mr Hadjipanteli’s remains had been found very recently, the circumstances surrounding his death remained unclarified. The Court recalled that it was established in its Grand Chamber inter-State case Cyprus v. Turkey (application no. 25781/94 of 10 May 2001) that the evidence showed that many people who went missing in 1974 were detained either by Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot forces. Their detention occurred at a time when the conduct of military operations was accompanied by arrests and killings on a large scale which was found to disclose a life-threatening situation. The clear indications of the climate of risk and fear at the time, and of the real dangers to which detainees were exposed, was found to disclose a life-threatening situation. The nine missing men in the applicants’ case disappeared against that same background. The Court noted that the eight combatants were last seen in areas surrounded or about to be overrun by Turkish forces, one of them, Panicos Charalambous, in a wounded condition. Statements from several witnesses attested to seeing Mr Hadjipanteli being taken away by Turkish-Cypriot fighters. Given previous findings and the circumstances of the disappearances at a time and at locations which were, or very shortly thereafter were, under the control of Turkish forces or those acting under their aegis, the Court considered that an obligation arose for Turkey to account for their fate.

While it might be noted that in the context of the individual cases arising out of events in south-east Turkey and the conflict in the Chechen Republic, where there were, at the relevant times, numerous reported instances of forced disappearances, individual applicants had nonetheless been required to give an evidential basis for finding that their relatives were taken into some form of custody by agents of the State, the Court considered that the situation in the applicants’ case was different. A zone of international conflict where two armies were engaged in acts of war was per se life-threatening for those present. Circumstances would frequently be such that the events in question lay wholly, or in large part, within the exclusive knowledge of the military forces in the field, and it would not be realistic to expect applicants to provide more than minimal information placing their relative in the area at risk. International treaties imposed obligations on combatant States as regards the care of wounded, prisoners of war and civilians; Article 2 certainly extended so far as to require States which had ratified the Convention to take reasonable steps to protect the lives of those not, or no longer, engaged in hostilities. Disappearances in such circumstances were therefore protected by Article 2.

The Court recalled its previous finding that, whatever its humanitarian usefulness, the CMP did not provide procedures sufficient to meet the standard of an effective investigation required by Article 2, especially in view of the narrow scope of that body’s investigations.

While it was true that the remains of Savvas Hadjipanteli had recently been discovered, that did not demonstrate that the CMP had been able to take any meaningful investigative steps beyond the belated location and identification of remains. Nor, given the location of Mr Hadjipanteli’s remains in an area under the control of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus3” after a lapse of some 32 years, had that event displaced the Turkish Government’s accountability for the investigative process during the intervening period.

The Court concluded that there had been a continuing violation of Article 2 concerning the failure of the Turkish authorities to conduct an effective investigation aimed at clarifying the whereabouts and fate of the nine men who went missing in 1974.

Article 3

The Court recalled, in view of the circumstances in which their family members disappeared following a military intervention during which many persons were killed or taken prisoner and where the area was subsequently sealed off and became inaccessible to the relatives, they must undoubtedly have suffered most painful uncertainty and anxiety. Furthermore, their mental anguish did not vanish with the passing of time.

The Court observed that the Turkish authorities had failed to undertake any investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the missing persons. In the absence of any information about their fate, the relatives of those who went missing during the events of July and August 1974 were condemned to live in a prolonged state of acute anxiety which could not be said to have been erased with the passage of time. The Court recalled that the military operation resulted in a considerable loss of life, large-scale arrests and detentions and enforced separation of families. The overall context had still to be vivid in the minds of the relatives of persons whose fate has never been accounted for by the authorities. They endured the agony of not knowing whether family members were killed in the conflict or were still in detention or, if detained, had since died. The fact that a very substantial number of Greek Cypriots had to seek refuge in the south coupled with the continuing division of Cyprus had to be considered to constitute very serious obstacles to their quest for information. The provision of such information was the responsibility of the Turkish authorities.

The silence of the Turkish authorities, in the face of the real concerns of the relatives of the nine missing men, attained a level of severity which could only be categorised as inhuman treatment within the meaning of Article 3. The Court therefore concluded that, during the period under consideration, there had been a continuing violation of Article 3.

Article 5

The Court found no violation of Article 5 concerning the alleged detention of the nine missing men as it had not been established that, during the period under consideration in the applicants’ case, they were actually being detained by the Turkish or Turkish Cypriot authorities.

However, there had been a continuing violation of Article 5 because the Turkish authorities had failed to conduct an effective investigation into the whereabouts and fate of the nine men, in respect of whom there was an arguable claim that they had been deprived of their liberty at the time of their disappearance.

Articles 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 14

The Court did not consider it necessary to examine further the applicants’ other complaints.

Ad hoc judge Gönül Erönen expressed a separate opinion, which is annexed to the judgment.

***

The Court’s judgments are accessible on its Internet site (http://www.echr.coe.int).

Here We Go Again: Ancient church turned into ceramics factory

2007-12-20T18:34:00.001+02:00

From the Cyprus Weekly:

(Click Image to Enlarge)

ΝΤΡΟΠΗ

2007-11-29T16:32:00.001+02:00

ΣΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (27.11.07):
(Click Image to Enlarge)

Secretive visit inside the "forbidden city" of Varosha

2007-09-30T19:00:00.001+03:00

UN Security Council Resolution 550

...Considers attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the United Nations...

A Vlogger (video blogger), going by the name Dave Stuart, has posted new video footage of a visit to Varosha, a "ghost town" in Occupied Cyprus. The Turkish army took control of the city in 1974 and forced tens of thousands of Greek Cypriot inhabitants to flee their homes. Varosha is currently being used as a bargaining chip by Turkey and the Northern breakaway State as part of an overall settlement to the Cyprus problem.

The 15 minute film taken within the fenced off city is entitled "Return inside Varosha" and is divided in two parts. The videos have been placed on YouTube and can be viewed here and here.

Thank you Dave

Bellapais Monastery Turned into a Garbage Dump

2007-09-27T23:07:00.001+03:00

A sad pilgrimage that at every stop adds to one’s outrage and disbelief:

The historic Bellapais Monastery was turned into a garbage dump after Asil Nadir sons wedding.

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (25.09.07) writes that last Wednesday the 800-years-old historic Bellapais Monastery was turned into a garbage dump after the wedding of the son of Asil Nadir and Aysegul Tesimer.

The paper writes that the tourists who visited the Monastery next day in the morning, despite buying a ticket for the historic monument, they could not have a complete tour, a fact that annoyed them. Moreover, the paper reports that the night of the wedding no one could approach the area and state police was guarding the entrance to the village creating problems to the villagers and their guests from passing.

The music at the wedding lasted until 2:00 am, but the most ridiculous thing was until next morning when tourists visited the Monastery and faced a wreck, a rubbish dump, the paper notes.

Bilirakis Resolution on Cyprus Approved

2007-09-27T21:35:00.001+03:00

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives, by unanimous consent, approved a resolution on Cyprus. The resolution, introduced by Congressman Gus Bilirakis, expresses strong support for the immediate implementation of the July 8th agreement. The resolution calls for the US government to actively facilitate the implementation of the agreement in its entirety and without deviations from its content.

The President of the RoC said “today’s adoption of H.Res. 405 is a positive and significant development,” mainly noting the fact that it refers to the need not to deviate from the agreement.

More on this from the Hellenic News of America:

HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE STRONGLY SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JULY 8 UN-BROKERED AGREEMENT FOR CYPRUS

WASHINGTON, DC – [September 26, 2007] – Today the House Foreign Affairs Committee by unanimous consent adopted H. Res. 405, which expresses strong support for the immediate implementation of the July 8, 2006, United Nations-brokered Agreement as the way forward to prepare for new comprehensive negotiations leading to the reunification of the Republic of Cyprus.

On July 8, 2006, President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, agreed, under the auspices of the United Nations Under Secretary General Ibrahim Gambari, to a set of principles to begin a process of bi-communal discussions. H. Res. 405 calls upon the United States Government to fully support the immediate implementation of the July 8, 2006 Agreement in its entirety and without deviation from that process.
read more »

President Papadopoulos Speaks to the UN General Assembly

2007-09-27T00:34:00.001+03:00

PRESIDENT PAPADOPOULOS:

Mr. President,

Before I begin, I wish to indicate that my statement is complementary to that delivered yesterday by the Prime Minister of Portugal on behalf of the European Union, to which Cyprus fully subscribes.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you on your election as President of the 62nd Session of the General Assembly and express my sincere gratitude to your predecessor, Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa on the successful completion of her tenure.

As this is the first general debate after the election of the new Secretary-General, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his appointment to this crucial post and wish him every success. His Report on the work of the Organization demonstrates not only the broadened spectrum of issues dealt with by the United Nations but also the comprehensive character and vast potential of multilateral diplomacy. Among the aspects of the Organization’s work that present particular interest, we note the disconcerting developments in the Middle East, the modest progress made with respect to the development agenda, the effects of the Organization’s involvement in different crises, particularly in Africa and the increasing impact of its humanitarian contribution.

We also maintain our focus on the outstanding aspects of United Nations reform and particularly on those pertaining to the Security Council. As a crucial pillar of the Organization whose activity and output have grown exponentially in recent years, the Council’s effectiveness and legitimacy should be enhanced. Moreover, we consider as an integral part of the reform process, the creation of a culture of permanent mutation of the Organization through which the latter will adapt to future developments as they occur.

A necessary building block towards ensuring the continued relevance and legitimacy of the work and decisions of the Organization is to guarantee that these decisions are compatible with, and even emanate from, the will of the membership as a whole, in particular through the General Assembly as the universal organ of the United Nations. Being a staunch advocate of the enhancement of the role and authority of the General Assembly, my delegation is particularly pleased that one of the most pressing issues facing the international community today is being addressed in this framework with a view to elaborating policy.

Mr. President,

To date, we have ample scientific data and other overwhelmingly convincing evidence suggesting that world climate is changing at the detriment of human and ecological systems as a result of human activity. Thus, our response to this alarming phenomenon should be the focus of our debate rather than the extent to which it exists.

We believe that it is important for us to define, from the outset, the scope of the response we are seeking to formulate. In the face of the quasi irreversibility of the damage done thus far, we should at least put the necessary focus, resources and energy in curbing the galloping deterioration of the situation and urgently decide the first steps to protect our societies from large scale future climate change.

In realizing this task, an integrated approach is needed. We must account not only for the future environmental impact should current trends continue but also evaluate the projected consequences in other areas likely to be adversely affected such as security and development.

All of us, Governments and individual citizens alike, are stakeholders in this endeavor. We must act jointly to codify binding commitments, ensure that these are quantitatively and qualitatively adequate to address the problem effectively, and attach to them a firm implementation monitoring mechanism and timeline.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has suggested a number of technological and policy instruments that are available to Governments for mitigation action. We stand ready to support the adoption of a number of sectoral policies and measures the Panel has deemed effective like the use of renewable energy, the use of technology to produce energy cleanly, improved waste and waste-water management and the use of alternative technologies in exploiting human systems like forestry, fisheries and agriculture.

In deciding and enforcing our response, we see no plausible framework other than the United Nations. Aside from its unique position to address the issue because of its global character, its success in confronting a threat with such massive potential as climate change will be a litmus test for the relevance of our Organization. One could say that climate change is the modern day equivalent of the security threat that necessitated the establishment of the Organization in 1945. It remains to be seen whether our system can be effective in dealing with contemporary threats to humanity as it has been in dealing with more traditional security deficits.

Mr. President,

Let me now turn to an issue which the United Nations has had a long involvement with and which we aim to keep within the Organization’s priorities until it has been definitively resolved within the framework set out in numerous relevant resolutions of this Organization.

Cyprus, like the majority of member states, gained its independence after the Organization’s inception. It has relied, since then, on the United Nations to uphold the principles enshrined in its Charter and it has always considered this system of collective security as the only legitimate means to counter acts that are inconsistent with the Organization’s purposes.

For many years, the United Nations has made strenuous efforts in trying to broker a solution. It might be that the task has been so arduous because the truth remains that the Cyprus issue, when stripped of niceties of diplomatic terminology, is a question of foreign aggression and continuing occupation of a significant part of a sovereign state, entailing enclaved and missing persons, refugees and massive and enduring violations of human rights.

Cyprus has survived the most difficult circumstances created by the many facets of the problem and has primarily insisted on one thing vis-à-vis the involvement of the United Nations in its resolution: the full application of the values this Organization was founded on and has worked so hard to promote.

So, why does this problem persist after so many years during which the national, regional and international political landscape has undergone dramatic changes? Certainly, it is neither for lack of political will nor for lack of effort on our part.

Rather, the occupying power has not displayed any motivation to solve the problem and this has only been reinforced by the Annan plan which satisfied all Turkish desiderata, thus being readily accepted by the Turkish side. Instead, Turkey has used its dominant position to command trade-offs of all sorts.

Secondly, Turkey’s long-standing objective of gaining political and military control over Cyprus remains unchanged. Despite declaratory remarks of willingness to solve the Cyprus problem, its actions confirm its dedication to its ab initio pursuit of controlling Cyprus through partitioning it geographically in two ethnically clean parts, with Turkey securing rights of suzerainty and the “right” of intervention in Cyprus.

Thirdly, efforts to solve the Cyprus problem have not been filtered through a system of values and norms of international law. They have not been tailored to the roots of the problem or even to the problem itself; rather their centre of gravity seems to have been the kind of solution the occupying power would want or could, at least, tolerate. In fact, it is clear through the conduct and negotiating positions of Turkey that it has not contemplated a solution outside the boundaries of the status quo, with the exception of partition.

Fourthly, shifting the problem from the context of its origin has led to a problem-solving methodology that divides the distance that separates the parties, caving to the demands of the most powerful party and making its success conditional upon the latter’s magnanimity.

Fifthly, the occupying power has insisted on discussing elements to the problem that form neither part of its genesis nor of its solution. The Cyprus problem is not a derivative of bad community relations but one of outside intervention. Persisting, therefore, on a constitutional arrangement, set-up primarily on the basis of ethnic origin - without due respect for the overriding democratic principles of liberty and equality of all citizens - insults their dignity and condemns the viability of any settlement.

Mr. President,

We currently find ourselves engaged in an effort to implement a process consisting of an Agreement concluded and signed by the two communities in Cyprus on 8 July 2006 and complemented by letters exchanged between the leaders of the two communities and the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the United Nations on 15 November 2006. The surprising laboriousness in implementing this carefully crafted Agreement, the purpose of which is to prepare the ground for subsequent negotiation and is intended to lead to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue, is not inherent to this particular process and we should thus persist on implementing what has been agreed. The pace can only be determined by progress, and as needed, culminating in full-fledged negotiations. Sidelining or circumventing stages of the process will only lead to expediting not the solution, but the confirmation of deadlock.

So what does the future hold for the mission of good offices entrusted to the Secretary-General by the Security Council? On our part, we remain fully committed to it as it is clear to us that we cannot sustain the status quo and must insist on a meaningful and forward-looking process that can elicit concrete results leading to a settlement of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, with the correct meaning of each of these terms. The only process that can take us forward is that established by the 8 July agreed process I outlined above. This process is anticipated to test suggestions, ideas and alternatives at expert level, adequately prepare the ground and submit to the leaders, points that warrant political compromise or agreement. Though the last meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader did not signal the beginning of the implementation of the Agreement as we had hoped, we will not rescind our efforts to put the 8 July process back on track. The element of time is very important; however only progress through preparing the ground can bring us sooner to an agreed settlement.

On the other hand, we have never viewed our relationship with Turkey as a zero sum game. To the contrary, we consider that a solution to the Cyprus problem and good neighborly relations between Cyprus and Turkey are a sine qua non for the stability of both countries and the wider region. An opportunity to put this doctrine to practice has arisen as a result of Turkey’s aspiration to join the European Union. However, the catalytic effect of this accession negotiation process, has not thus far helped relieve the Cyprus problem of artificial and unfounded Turkish concerns and unrealistic policy considerations that have, in any case, been rendered obsolete by the emerging political environment. It seems that not even the allure of accession to the European Union can supersede Turkey’s policy objectives regarding Cyprus. We, like others, have linked our endorsement of Turkey’s European endeavors with the fulfillment of its European obligations.

Turkey’s intentions are not only manifest in the non-resolution of the Cyprus problem after all these years. They transpire from all its actions: the non-normalization of its relations with Cyprus as a first step to becoming an EU partner, the non-removal of any of its troops from Cypriot soil as a confidence building gesture, the intensification of efforts to project a secessionist entity in Cyprus and its systematic violations of our sovereign air and maritime space and of the military status quo. This was recently confirmed by explicit statements of its leadership at the highest political level referring to “a settlement based on two peoples, two democracies, two states and two religions” (sic).

Over the past year, we have also witnessed repeated attempts by the occupying power to illegally explore my country’s natural resources and to sabotage our sovereign right to explore and manage these resources. It has carried out unauthorized demolitions of Greek Cypriot houses in the areas it occupies and it continues to destroy cultural and religious heritage. It has intensified the large-scale illegal exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied part of Cyprus, not least because this will skew the terms of a future settlement.

At the same time, Turkey pursues its own strategic objectives in Cyprus at the expense of re-unification and is only guided by its own interests and not those of Turkish Cypriots. It has ascertained over the years that the occupied part of Cyprus would come completely under its political, economic and military control. We regret to note that Turkey has been trying to involve our friends and neighbors in this ill-conceived effort. Underpinning this strategy, is the intent to legitimize the faits accomplis of the invasion and attribute political status to its results. Such strategy could not have been achieved without presenting the Turkish Cypriot community as victims, not of Turkish aggression as is really the case, but of Greek-Cypriots for resisting this fait accomplis. A prime example of these tactics has been the ongoing campaign to deceivingly suggest that the Turkish Cypriot community is economically disadvantaged because it is isolated. Considering that the per capita income of Turkish Cypriots has doubled over the past three years to the extent that they now enjoy the 59th highest per capita income in the world, one can easily detect the political agenda behind the attempt to link their economic development with the fate of the illegal regime.

Mr. President,

For years now we have been advocating that the road to solving the Cyprus problem is not via the exclusion of the inconvenient truths that underlie it or the by-passing of principles that are, for us, the guarantee that the settlement of the Cyprus problem will continue to be valid and relevant in a constantly changing world.

We insist that a functional and enduring solution is not one that flows from a simplistic formula that merely reflects the power balance of the parties. We are convinced that reaching a settlement well above the lowest common denominator is feasible and the creation of a unified, democratic, inclusive and forward looking society fully assuming its place in the European Union is within reach. We are also convinced that a settlement in the form of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation can be truly comprehensive and need not sacrifice justice for the sake of peace. Lasting peace is elusive without the notion of justice being firmly embedded in its foundation. Justice should be intrinsic in any political settlement package as a natural consequence of striving to preserve the universal values, which this Organization is the Guardian of.

Equally importantly, we regard the preservation of our interests and those of Turkey in our region not as mutually exclusive but as complementary and interdependent. Our vision must be to inherit to future generations the legacy of friendship, co-operation and good neighborliness. We are afforded the opportunity to prevent eternalizing this feud and we should seize it.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Ομοιότητες ευρώ και νέας Tουρκικής λίρας

2007-09-25T14:34:00.001+03:00

Η νέα Τουρκική λίρα έχει κυκλοφορήσει σε κέρμα στο ίδιο ακριβώς μέγεθος με το κέρμα των 2 ευρώ και με τα ίδια ακριβώς χρώματα και ως εκ τούτου με την επικείμενη εισαγωγή του ευρώ παρακαλείσθε να είσαστε προσεκτικοί στις συναλλαγές που θα γίνονται σε ευρώ. Ενδεικτικά να σας αναφέρουμε ότι 1 νέα Τουρκική λίρα ισούται περίπου με σαράντα σεντ του ευρώ.

Για σύγκριση των δύο κερμάτων επισυνάπτεται εικόνα του κέρματος αξίας 2 ευρώ και εικόνα του κέρματος αξίας 1 Τουρκικής λίρας.

Cyprus President - UN SG Ban Ki-moon Meeting

2007-09-23T19:48:00.001+03:00

From the Cyprus News Agency:

Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos plans to ask UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to go on with the implementation of the 8 July 2006 agreement reached between the two sides in Cyprus.

President Papadopoulos arrived Saturday night in New York and he is scheduled to meet Sunday the UN Chief. During his stay in New York, the Cypriot President will address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, meet the representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council on Thursday and have separate meetings with heads of state and government.

He told reporters on his arrival in New York that this was his first meeting with the UN Secretary General since the latter’s election and he was going to brief him on developments in the Cyprus problem.

Among those to meet in New York is US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicolas Burns, who had announced his intention to visit Cyprus soon.

Asked to comment on a recent statement by Burns that he was optimistic that substantive progress could be reached by the end of 2007 in efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, President Papadopoulos said “it is our desire to use the period of time until the Presidential elections in Cyprus (February 2008) and I remind you that the latest UN Security Council resolution refers to preparations of negotiations. Every assistance in this direction is welcome.”

Gul’s statements show Turkish incompatibilities vis-à-vis Europe

2007-09-19T22:07:00.009+03:00

Mr. Gul’s divisive statements made on his trip to the Northern breakaway State should remind us all that Turkey does not abide by the most basic norms expected, indeed required, by the European Union. Take a look at this statement:

"There are two realities on Cyprus, two democracies, two states, two languages, two religions." President Abdullah Gul, at a joint news conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, went on to say that "One has to accept that a solution must be based on these realities." Yes, like the Annan Plan you wholeheartedly endorsed?

He notes religion as an issue to the Cyprus problem. Why? Is he telling us that those with different faiths cannot live side by side, together in brotherhood? If so, then why does he seek Turkish membership in the EU? The British high commissioner in Nicosia, Mr. Peter Millett, reacted strongly to Mr. Gul’s remarks by stating that involving religion in the Cyprus issue was unacceptable. Feel free to watch the video below to hear more of what Mr. Millett had to say on the recent remarks by President Gul.

The spectacular Turkish transformational act?

Commentary from certain politicians and (warped) media keep stating that Turkey's EU accession will set the country on a course of dramatic transformation and that Turkey is a bridge between the East and the West. Has this dramatic transformation begun?

The reason why there is no solution to the Cyprus problem

2007-09-17T22:15:00.003+03:00

I’ll tell you what the real reason is ... but, before I get into that ... let me first take the time to welcome back one of my warped media friends, you know who you are. Yea, I know I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus but I’m back much to your dismay! Well, maybe for a short period of time. A little tip from me to you...

Keep checking back at this site, you just may learn a thing or two.

Where was I, ohh yes, the reason why there is no solution to the Cyprus problem. Here 'tis:

There is no solution due to the fact that Turkey refuses to comply with UN resolutions, but also due to the international community's unwillingness or inability to impose them. I know what some of you are thinking--but Konstelion, Turkey is a NATO member and a strong reliable US ally. Nevertheless my friends, Turkey must be made to comply with international laws and obligations. That is the only way to resolve the Cyprus issue.

Negotiating with intransigents.

Check this video out and see the word games being played by Mr. Talat who in the video is being interviewed by a reporter. Cyprus, for example, has no refugees. That’s right, Mr. Talat stated that “They're not anymore refugees...” The warped media out there reading this should take note ... the politically correct term now is “displaced.”

Apparently, a lot of things are “not fair” in the breakaway North.

Why can’t our breakaway State have direct trade with the EU, it is not fair! Giving back a ghost town? Why that’s not fair! Let’s see, refugees forced to evacuate, their legal rights continue to be disregarded and Talat says “of course it is not fair to ask for Varosha (back).” Can you believe this hypocrisy? Even the reporter is taken aback by the interview, lowering his glasses to look at Mr. Talat as if to say ... are you for real?

Ever read stories coming out of the occupied North like--Why cant little Tunc Ozgurgun’s Turkish Cypriot football team play internationally? It is not fair! Silly articles written by silly folks. I’ll tell you what’s not fair ... using Varosha as a bargaining chip by Turkey and the Northern breakaway State as part of an overall settlement to the Cyprus problem. We are talking about thousands of lives who would like to return home!

When asked about sending the Turkish occupation troops back to Turkey; Mr. Talat is quick with his pre-rehearsed response. Why, it’s a matter of security. Security, yes, even at this very moment the Greek Cypriots have triangulated our location. You see, we fear their military. Are these logical responses by Mr. Talat? No? Well that’s why the Cyprus issue is not resolved today.

An enemy of Cyprus

2007-09-15T01:32:00.002+03:00

Tuesday night’s televised press conference by President Papadopoulos has been met with angry reaction from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Cypriot leadership—ok, so what else is new?

Turkey strongly criticized Mr. Papadopoulos who said in a televised press conference that the Turkish occupation army “was an enemy of Cyprus.”

More on that statement a bit later ... let's focus on the part of the press conference that I found interesting, shall we? The President stated that during his meeting last week with Mr. Talat ... the Turkish Cypriot leader actually revealed that a majority of Turkish Cypriots do not support a federal Cyprus, no kidding. Instead, they favor a two-state solution. Another statement that was made by the President which really surprised me was that Mr. Talat didn't even know that Cyprus is actually an EU net contributor. Mr. Papadopoulos stated that...

"He (Mr. Talat) did not know that Cyprus is among the few countries which is a net contributor, that is we give the EU more funds than we take."

Interesting indeed. Now, let’s get back to that statement by Mr. Papadopoulos where he referred to the Turkish army occupying Cyprus as an “enemy” and the subsequent predictable response from Ankara.

This is what the Turkish Foreign Ministry had to say:

“It must be remembered that the declaration of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) as an enemy serves peace by no means. It is unacceptable that the TSK is turned into a target. Papadopoulos is supposed to understand that.”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr. Levent Bilman, went on to say that...

“It appears Papadopoulos forgot the fact that Turkey is a guarantor country on the island together with Greece and Britain and that the presence of the Turkish armed forces on the island legally stems from international agreements.”

Mr. Talat, who is a strong supporter of the TSK, parroted the Turkish Foreign Ministry by stating the main obstacle to a peaceful solution was the Greek Cypriot tendency to treat the Turkish troops stationed on the island as an occupation army. Honestly, an argument this weak and absurd doesn’t even deserve a response.

In a statement before his departure to New York to address the UN General Assembly, the President of the Cypriot Republic responded to the rhetoric coming out of Ankara by stating:

“Our view is well known, the presence of the Turkish occupation forces and the Turkish invasion, cannot be legally based on the Treaty of Guarantee, and their presence in Cyprus, is, in any case, illegal. We said that if Turkey believes otherwise, then it can appeal or agree to appeal to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.”

More on all this in the video below.

Take a look at this video which starts off with the Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas reaction. The video also focuses in on the political leader of EDEK Mr. Yiannakis Omirou. Omirou’s response is priceless (ha).

Mr. Talat, the Annan Plan is Dead...

2007-09-07T21:04:00.002+03:00

And there is no chance of resurrecting it.

Further more, all five United Nations Security Council permanent members have endorsed the July 8th agreement as the only process now on the table for a Cyprus settlement.

Why are you trying to dilute this agreement?

You state there is nothing in the July 8 agreement prohibiting time frames. Why all this sudden talk on time frames? For the past 14 months, you have done nothing but drag your feet with regard to the implementation of the agreement that was reached between you and Mr. Papadopoulos on the 8th of July during the Mission of Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari.

The president of the Republic has extended his hand and offered to meet again with you soon to proceed forward with the peace process. Why have you turned down this invitation?

(Cypriot media coverage below on the failed meeting)

From the Cyprus Weekly:

No breakthrough

Not clear when leaders will meet again

By Menelaos Hadjicostis

HOPES that the Papadopoulos-Talat talks would deliver a needed breakthrough putting the July 8 agreement on track faded as fast as it took to read a terse, three-sentence wrap-up statement pronouncing the process comatose.

It’s unclear when the two will meet again and indications are that the Turkish side wants to dilute the agreement and render it inert so that it can be supplanted by direct talks on a resurrected Annan Plan, Nicosia charged.

"Mr Talat wanted changes to the Gambari process. He wants immediate talks without the committees, or for the role of the committees to be limited to a purely technical level of listing the headings to be discussed," President Tassos Papadopoulos told reporters after the three-hour meeting.

The rationale behind the Nicosia-inspired, twin-track procedure (a.k.a. Gambari process) that both sides signed off on last year is to task committees with discussing day-to-day and core Cyprus issues so as to adequately prepare the ground for full-fledged negotiations.

Grapple

The two community leaders would get together periodically to grapple with major sticking points officials would point out.

But the Turkish Cypriot leader sought to "re-arrange" the agreement by setting a two-month deadline on committee talks thus "accelerating" what he said was an open-ended process that "would last 14 months, 14 years, or 140 years.

"We observed that there was no psychological preparedness for the opening of comprehensive negotiations," said Mehmet Ali Talat, who also wanted a reunification deal by the end of 2008.

"Our proposal was aimed at accelerating the July 8 process, disciplining it and turning it into a process that can yield results. How is this moving away from the July 8 process?"

Nicosia’s unequivocal reply was that comprehensive negotiations without due preparation free from time constraints are doomed to failure.

Such a failure could raise the spectre of permanent partition as the international community’s post-referendum disenchantment could coalesce into the belief that there can be no Cyprus settlement.

Papadopoulos said diminishing the role of the committees would "not have accelerated the process, but on the contrary, would have expedited the realisation that there is deadlock".

Strident

Papadopoulos rejected both the notion of open-ended talks dragging on indefinitely as well as setting time constraints to negotiations.

He said slapping a deadline on the process cannot guarantee there would be adequate preparation for substantial talks to take place on the leadership level.

"We’re not talking about discussions that would carry on indefinitely or over the long term, simply the course of discussions themselves would dictate the timetable," said Papadopoulos.

Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas said Talat was so strident in his positions that he turned down a Papadopoulos invitation to meet again on Monday for another try at a deal.

Papadopoulos proposed an October date for another face-to-face sit-down but Talat was non-committal.

"We’ll make yet another effort to implement this process…the President of the Republic tried to convince Mr Talat to implement the agreement and Mr Talat tried every way to free himself from it," said Palmas.

Palmas said the Talat’s pitch for regular meetings with Papadopoulos intended to railroad the process back to directly negotiating the defunct Annan Plan, irrespective of whether the committees had marked progress.

"President Papadopoulos rejected carrying out negotiations based on the Annan plan as Mr Talat insinuated…the agreed-upon procedure is the July 8 process which foresees the basis for a settlement arising from the implementation of the agreement," said Palmas.

All five UN Security Council permanent members have endorsed July 8 as the only process now in play that could lead to full-fledged settlement negotiations.

Nicosia’s sees July 8 as a vehicle to shift the basis of a Cyprus settlement away from the Annan Plan that Greek Cypriots voted down for fear that it would put the entire island under Turkey’s thumb.

Unready

Analysts suggested this failure could mean Ankara is either unready or unwilling to get the ball rolling on Cyprus on the belief that continued stalemate won’t hurt its EU accession prospects.

The only glimmer of hope for resuscitating July 8 lies in the fact that both leaders agreed to keep the process going by meeting again.

"Mr Papadopoulos and Mr Talat held their discussion in a constructive atmosphere," said a sombre Moller, reading from a prepared statement.

"They agreed on the need for the earliest start of the process, and discussed other issues, leading to a comprehensive settlement. They agreed to continue their contact through the United Nations and to meet again when appropriate."

Despite a shared understanding of the need for "the earliest start," the obvious problem with that statement is when the two leaders would meet again. The vague "when appropriate" leaves the process hanging in the air for at least until late autumn.

Cyprus to seek ancient shipwrecks

2007-09-06T21:08:00.001+03:00

Here's an interesting article from Reuters:

Cyprus to seek ancient shipwrecks

By Michele Kambas

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus is to launch sea surveys in an area where dozens of vessels led by warring successors to Alexander the Great are believed to have sunk in battle for control over the island in 306 BC.

Encouraged by the discovery of one wreck from a later Roman era, the survey slated for the summer of 2008 will extend into deep waters from the south-east tip of the island, known as Cape Greco, the island's Antiquities Department said.

"Cyprus is a crossroads and is very rich in ancient shipwrecks," said Pavlos Flourentzos, director of Cyprus's Department of Antiquities.

Historical accounts suggest that the Cape Greco region -- a rocky outcrop between the now popular tourist resorts of Agia Napa and Protaras, saw one of the biggest naval battles of the ancient world.

According to the ancient Greek historian, Diodorus of Sicily, in 306 BC Demetrios the Poliorketes (Besieger) triumphed over Ptolemy I of Egypt in a naval engagement off Cyprus, with dozens of vessels sunk as the result of combat.

"It is well known that there was a naval engagement in the region in 306 BC, so there is a potential of finding wrecks, or parts of wrecks, in deeper waters," Flourentzos told Reuters on Thursday.

Ptolemy I, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, lost control of Cyprus for a period of 10 years after his defeat at the hands of Demetrios Poliorketes. Demetrios was son of Antigonus, a Macedonian nobleman who later ruled Asia Minor
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Politicians from across the political spectrum gave their reaction to the Papadopoulos – Talat Meeting

2007-09-06T20:22:00.001+03:00

Politicians from across the Cypriot political spectrum gave their reaction to the Papadopoulos – Talat meeting. The following video is a sampling of early reaction to that meeting:

Q & A by the President on his meeting with Talat

2007-09-06T15:10:00.001+03:00

The President of the Republic took questions from reporters after his meeting yesterday with Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat:

Question: We heard a general comment by Mr. Moller following your meeting with Mr. Talat. Can you tell us something more?

Answer: First of all, let me say that the meeting took place in order to facilitate the 8 July process and not in order to start exchanging arguments though the Press, with a longer and more enlightening communiqué. This was not the purpose of the meeting. We discussed mainly, we only discussed, I would say, the 8 July process, which was the issue at hand. We insisted on its speedy and unconditional implementation because we believe it is a process than can positively push forward the talks for a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem on a new basis. And we believe that our suggestions would have shortened the time needed leading to substantive talks and to the solution of the Cyprus problem. We insisted a great deal that the Committees should seriously prepare the ground and, according to the Gambari process, if progress is achieved at the level of the Committees, the leaders of the two communities will meet periodically to negotiate the points of dissent which the Committees will point out. Mr. Talat wanted changes to be made to the Gambari process. He wanted immediate talks without the work of the Committees or he wanted the role of the Committees to be restricted only to a technical level of noting down the topics to be discussed. This could not have accelerated the process but, on the contrary, it would accelerate finalizing the fact that there is a deadlock. Nevertheless, the meeting took place in a constructive spirit. We shall continue the contacts through the United Nations to find a way to overcome the present difficulty. Mr. Talat also raised, of course, the usual issues they raise, not as part of the agenda but during the discussion.

Question: The procedure will continue the same way as before, with Mr. Tzionis and Mr. Perter, or is there a change?

Answer: First, there will be contacts through the United Nations. We insisted this was the correct procedure, not outside the United Nations framework, and we believe that the proposal we made is both practical and effective. It is not easy for the two leaders to meet on a daily basis, within a specific period of one or two months. One has to evaluate, however, whether this procedure alone could yield positive results or, reversely, whether it would lead to finalizing the fact that there is a deadlock.

Question: How do you address the fact that there is no time table for the beginning of the talks?

Answer: I don’t think that the talks should be defined in terms of dates. They will be defined in terns of the progress that will take place. In other words, if you set a date, in a month's time let's say, the point is that there must be adequate preparation beforehand in order to make sure that a substantive discussion can take place between the two leaders. And that was the point on which we insisted. On our part we don’t talk about discussions which will be extended indefinitely or in the depth of time. Simply, the course of the discussions itself determines the time framework. Since the two leaders will be meeting to supervise the work of the Committees, to give instructions, to negotiate the points of dissent pointed out by the Committees, this can be done in a month, in 15 days, in two or three months, depending on the pace of the work of the Committees. It is, in addition, an incentive for those who will participate in the Committees to really produce work in a positive spirit, to point out points in dissent, perhaps to submit alternative suggestions, so that the two leaders can have a political discussion.

Question: Is there a risk that the other side will bide for time?

Answer: There is always this risk. In other words, if you set the 15th of September, for example, as the starting date for the talks, won’t the risk still be there? Is there any assurance that the two leaders, meeting on their own, will reach an agreement?

Abandoned Airport

2007-09-05T22:45:00.001+03:00

Airport lighting in the UN buffer zone leading to the now abandoned Nicosia International Airport. The closure of Nicosia airport was brought upon by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Nicosia International Airport (IATA: NIC) lies directly in the UN controlled Buffer Zone which separates the Republic and the occupied North.