Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

‘We should really take a hard look at our political situation and where it is leading us’
Kasoulides says ECHR decision should be a wake-up call for government

By Elias Hazou

CYPRUS HAS lost the moral high ground in the international arena, but there may yet be just about enough time to turn the tide, presidential hopeful Ioannis Kasoulides said yesterday.

He was speaking in the wake of reports of a land-swap deal between a Greek and Turkish Cypriot through the European courts.

Greek Cypriot refugee Mike Tymvios, who sought to swap land with a Turkish Cypriot, already had an application with the ECHR when he applied to the property commission.

This has raised two major concerns on the Greek Cypriot side. First, whether the ECHR will accept the deal made through the north’s controversial property commission as an adequate domestic remedy.

It could likely result in thousands of ECHR applications by Greek Cypriot refugees being forwarded to the property commission for settlement.

The second concern relates to the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot Properties, which is part of the Cyprus government, and is the only recognised authority endowed with the power to return land to Turkish Cypriots. This can only take place if the applicant has been residing in the Republic for six months or more.

Assuming the ECHR gave the nod to the land swap, not only would that legitimise the property commission, it would also put the Guardianship on the spot because the Greek Cypriot refugee would be claiming Turkish Cypriot land not legally returned by the Guardian.

In a further negative development for the government, two Turkish Cypriots were recently appointed as judges to the European court.

Kasoulides said yesterday that this train of events was inextricably linked to the government’s poor diplomatic record.

“The cause for the change in stance of the ECHR [toward Greek Cypriot refugees] is that the climate has been completely reversed with regard to our diplomatic and moral superiority.”

“Let’s face it, accept it and deal with it. Having the sympathy and support of the international community is imperative for Cyprus…” he added.

Asked by newsmen what he would do differently were he President,

Kasoulides said he would have “undertaken initiatives three years ago” and
that he would have taken action immediately following the ruling on the Xenides-Arestis case, which brought the Turkish Cypriot property commission to the fore.

And in an apparent dig at President Tassos Papadopoulos’ foreign policy, he remarked: “I believe that with the policy I represent, the EHCR decisions would have been totally different.

“There was a time when Cyprus was on a roll diplomatically, when we had the moral high ground, we had the triumphs of the Titina Loizidou case… so now we should really take a hard look at our political situation and where it is leading us,” he remarked.

Kasoulides also urged Greek Cypriots to avoid dealing with the north’s property commission. He said people should not get carried away by “a couple of [property] settlements,” since this could be a ploy by Ankara to legitimise the commission, after which all the remaining applications would be turned down.

The former Foreign Minister made the comments after meeting with a delegation of SADITOP, the Association for the Human Rights of Owners of Properties held by Turkey.

SADITOP chairman Yiannakis Erotocritou called on the government to “stop burying its head in the sand and come up with a practical solution, before it’s too late for the properties and for the Cyprus problem in general”.
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Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007

[Get Real!]

[Eric dayi]

And when I say GCs politics sucks they feel insulted.

[pantheman]

‘We should really take a hard look at our political situation and where it is leading us’
Kasoulides says ECHR decision should be a wake-up call for government

By Elias Hazou

CYPRUS HAS lost the moral high ground in the international arena, but there may yet be just about enough time to turn the tide, presidential hopeful Ioannis Kasoulides said yesterday.

He was speaking in the wake of reports of a land-swap deal between a Greek and Turkish Cypriot through the European courts.

Greek Cypriot refugee Mike Tymvios, who sought to swap land with a Turkish Cypriot, already had an application with the ECHR when he applied to the property commission.

This has raised two major concerns on the Greek Cypriot side. First, whether the ECHR will accept the deal made through the north’s controversial property commission as an adequate domestic remedy.

It could likely result in thousands of ECHR applications by Greek Cypriot refugees being forwarded to the property commission for settlement.

The second concern relates to the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot Properties, which is part of the Cyprus government, and is the only recognised authority endowed with the power to return land to Turkish Cypriots. This can only take place if the applicant has been residing in the Republic for six months or more.

Assuming the ECHR gave the nod to the land swap, not only would that legitimise the property commission, it would also put the Guardianship on the spot because the Greek Cypriot refugee would be claiming Turkish Cypriot land not legally returned by the Guardian.

In a further negative development for the government, two Turkish Cypriots were recently appointed as judges to the European court.

Kasoulides said yesterday that this train of events was inextricably linked to the government’s poor diplomatic record.

“The cause for the change in stance of the ECHR [toward Greek Cypriot refugees] is that the climate has been completely reversed with regard to our diplomatic and moral superiority.”

“Let’s face it, accept it and deal with it. Having the sympathy and support of the international community is imperative for Cyprus…” he added.

Asked by newsmen what he would do differently were he President,

Kasoulides said he would have “undertaken initiatives three years ago” and
that he would have taken action immediately following the ruling on the Xenides-Arestis case, which brought the Turkish Cypriot property commission to the fore.

And in an apparent dig at President Tassos Papadopoulos’ foreign policy, he remarked: “I believe that with the policy I represent, the EHCR decisions would have been totally different.

“There was a time when Cyprus was on a roll diplomatically, when we had the moral high ground, we had the triumphs of the Titina Loizidou case… so now we should really take a hard look at our political situation and where it is leading us,” he remarked.

Kasoulides also urged Greek Cypriots to avoid dealing with the north’s property commission. He said people should not get carried away by “a couple of [property] settlements,” since this could be a ploy by Ankara to legitimise the commission, after which all the remaining applications would be turned down.

The former Foreign Minister made the comments after meeting with a delegation of SADITOP, the Association for the Human Rights of Owners of Properties held by Turkey.

SADITOP chairman Yiannakis Erotocritou called on the government to “stop burying its head in the sand and come up with a practical solution, before it’s too late for the properties and for the Cyprus problem in general”.
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Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007

Kassoulides can afford to spout such crap, he is a hopeful and thats all he'll ever be.

IMHO, it is pricks like him that want to give the country away that makes me want to puke. Just listen to the rubbish he is saying, talk about electioneering !

Well, all i can say is i am so glad TPap is still there, with all his faults, i much rather him than the others that want to give our country away for the sake of making a name for themselves.

May Kassoulides go to hell, with a comrades like him who needs enemies?

Long live Tassos Pap.

[Get Real!]

Long live Tassos Pap.

Amen to that!

[zan]

Long live Tassos Pap.

Amen to that!

Then long live the Cyprus problem and....Viva la TRNC/KKTC.

[MR-from-NG]

Long live Tassos Pap.

Amen to that!

Then long live the Cyprus problem and....Viva la TRNC/KKTC.

Amen to that.

[zan]

Long live Tassos Pap.

Amen to that!

Then long live the Cyprus problem and....Viva la TRNC/KKTC.

Amen to that.

Well...The second part anyway...

[pantheman]

Long live Tassos Pap.

Amen to that!

Then long live the Cyprus problem and....Viva la TRNC/KKTC.

Amen to that.

Well...The second part anyway...

They are both one and the same

You can't have one without the other, and after 33 years, well who gives a shit ? Can you afford to wait another 33 years ? I doubt it.

But partitionists will be partitionits and they won't ever change.

Dream on boys dream on.

[zan]

Long live Tassos Pap.

Amen to that!

Then long live the Cyprus problem and....Viva la TRNC/KKTC.

Amen to that.

Well...The second part anyway...

They are both one and the same

You can't have one without the other, and after 33 years, well who gives a shit ? Can you afford to wait another 33 years ? I doubt it.

But partitionists will be partitionits and they won't ever change.

Dream on boys dream on.

I will tell you what you will end up with...You will be the only ones WITH the problem...We will be getting on with our lives and you will still be taken in by your crying EOKA president. The world and the TRNC/KKTC would have moved on without you....The days of waiting for our GC cousins to come and join us in Cyprus are over...WE cannot afford to sit around and wait for you ant more. Sorry mate, but we tried...We voted yes for a united Cyprus twice now....Once in 1960 and then with the Annan Plan. Good luck with your country...WE have ours to look after now.