Property Talks Drag On

(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

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

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

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

(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

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

(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

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