Garoyian: No substantive progress at Cyprus talks so far

(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

(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

(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'

(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.