Cyprus-Forum.com

[joe]

Bill for US citizens to claim property in occupied Cyprus
introduced

NICOSIA (CNA/ANA-MPA)


US Congressman Frank Pallone and 16 other colleagues have introduced
bipartisan legislation that would allow US citizens, who own property
in the Turkish occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus, to seek
financial remedies with either the current inhabitants of their land or
the Turkish government.


The bill ''authorises the President to initiate a claims progra-mme
under which the claims of US nationals who Turkey has excluded from
their property in occupied Cyprus can be judged by the Foreign Claims
Settlement Commission (FCSC) and compensated through
government-to-government negotiations between the United States and
Turkey.''


It also ''empowers the US district courts to hear causes of action
asserted by US nationals who have been excluded from their property in
occupied Cyprus against private persons or entities that occupy or use
the property of US nationals in occupied Cyprus.''


Furthermore, it ''empowers the United States district courts to hear
causes of action asserted by US nationals who have been excluded from
property their in occupied Cyprus against Turkey without having to
assert those causes of action under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities
Act of 1976 as amended.''


Pallone is joined in leading this effort by Thaddeus McCotter and the
co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, Carolyn
Maloney and Gus Bilirakis.


The four lawmakers were joined by 13 other original cosponsors, namely
Zachary Space, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, John Sarbanes, Henry Brown, James
McGovern, Mike Rogers, Diane Watson, Mario Diaz-Balart, Don Payne,
Frank LoBiondo, Chris Van Hollen, Shelley Berkley and Michael McNulty.


According to a press release, Pallone, a member of the Congressional
Caucus on Hellenic Issues, said the bipartisan American Owned Property
in Occupied Cyprus Claims Act serves as an essential response to
ongoing violations of interna-tional law, and provides US nationals
with long-overdue rights to seek restitution.


He added that it is unconscionable that Turkey, a US ally, who has
been, and continues to be, the beneficiary of significant aid and
support from this nation, excludes US citizens from property to which
they hold lawful titles under the laws of the Republic of Cyprus.


''It's time Congress vindicate the property rights of US citizens in
Cyprus,'' Pallone said, adding that he was ''encouraged by the strong
bipartisan support this legislation has already received'' and hoped to
continue building support in the coming weeks.


He noted that ''through this legislation, Americans who are being
denied access to their property and even their ancestral homes will
finally be able to seek restitution.''


Pallone first introduced this legislation in the 108th Congress. He
worked with Nick Larigakis, Executive Director of the American Hellenic
Institute (AHI), and Nick Karambelas, volunteer counsel of AHI, for
several months to draft the legislation.

[humanist]

very interesting article and whilst some greek speaking cypriots with US citizenship will benefit, unfortunately the turkish cypriots have further been shafted by the confusing messages given by the US. If only the US and Europe could stop giving false hope of support to both the RoC and Turkey perhaps there will be a solution to the Cyprus Problem.