Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

Interesting developments are taking place in Cyprus. First, Syria started a ferry link with the KKTC/TRNC. After that, the EU Commission took the opinion that the ferry link is perfectly legal, creating a storm in the South of the Island. Looking closely at recent developments, what does all this mean for the Cyprus problem and the Turkish Cypriots?
Ferry services between the port cities of Latakia in Syria and Famagusta (Gazimağusa) in the KKTC were re-launched on Oct. 11, 2007. It is the first ferry service with a planned schedule between the two ports for almost thirty years. Ferry services between Famagusta and Latakia ran between 1978 and 1979, but were cancelled due to Greek Cypriot pressure. Now, the ferry is sailing between the two ports, every Monday and Thursday.

The Greek Cypriot authorities, trying hard to prevent all attempts of the international community to alleviate the sufferings of the Turkish Cypriot people, have lodged heavy protests against this move. Press statements of the Greek Cypriot officials hinted at certain “leverages” to be applied against Syria. Yet Syria has stood firm and resisted Greek Cypriot representations. The ferry service continues.

The Greek Cypriot administration has also complained to the EU Commission and asked for their intervention in the issue with the aim of blocking the service. However, the EU Commission gave the Greek Cypriots the cold shoulder.

The EU Commission presented the opinion stating that there is no prohibition under general international law against entering and leaving seaports in the northern part of Cyprus and that neither the UN Security Council nor the European Community has ever imposed a trade embargo with respect to those areas. Therefore, according to the Commission, the issue should be solved bilaterally between the Republic of Cyprus and Syria, since it was a unilateral decision and declaration, a domestic legal act, of the Greek Cypriot administration to prohibit the seaports in the North and it does not have any consequences under international law.

This has been an important breakthrough for the Turkish Cypriots. The position of the Commission clearly demonstrates the fact that the legal and technical claims put forth by the Greek Cypriot administration are baseless and only serve as a pretext to justify the continuation of the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people.



Georgia bows to pressures, but...

The stance of the EU Commission was not enough to silence the Greek Cypriot authorities. The marine vessel that operates between Latakia and Famagusta belongs to a North Cyprus company and used to carry the Georgian flag. The Greek Cypriot administration exerted pressure on the Georgian Government to delete the vessel from the State Ships Registry of Georgia.

The Greek Cypriot efforts appeared to have succeeded last week when Georgia bowing to pressure from Greek Cyprus and decided to cancel the registration of the ship that was under contract to the Akgünler Maritime Company of northern Cyprus. Greek Cypriot jubilation over the development, however, was a short-lived one as Turkish Cypriot government sources said over the weekend that the registration problem was resolved and the suspended Latakia-Famagusta services would resume this week. How the problem was resolved has not been disclosed so far.



Greek Cypriots exploiting the EU

The latest attempt of the Greek Cypriot administration is to exploit the issue at the EU platform once again by alleging that the ferry services serve illegal migration. However, the Greek Cypriot administration itself is far from fulfilling the expectations of the EU regarding the prevention of illegal migration. The last annual report of the EU Commission on the implementation of the Green Line Regulation requires the Greek Cypriot administration to “carry out checks on all persons crossing the line with the aim to combat illegal migration of third country nationals”. The report states that, due to the possibility of the Green Line appearing like an external border, the Greek Cypriot administration refrains from taking measures regarding the surveillance of the Green Line. According to the report, this is why no additional equipment for that purpose was purchased and the number of personnel dealing with the illegal migratory flow was not increased. Therefore, the Greek Cypriot administration is recommended to take concrete steps without delay in order to effectively meet their surveillance obligations under the Green Line Regulation. The Greek Cypriot administration, by trying to divert attention to the North, refrains from cooperating with the KKTC.

On the other hand, the KKTC authorities are unilaterally further strengthening measures to prevent illegal migration. The requirements for individuals who use the sea and airports of the KKTC are defined legally. Nationals of third countries which may be the source of illegal migration are required to have a visa to enter the KKTC, while visitors, including Syrian nationals, who arrive at the KKTC via the controversial ferry service are asked to present hotel reservations and return tickets. New technical equipment has been put into use especially to monitor marine traffic around the KKTC. KKTC police forces have also tightened their control. The draft law prepared by the KKTC Interior Ministry in close consultation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with a view to fight against human trafficking is in its latest phase.

Besides the necessity of the adoption of additional measures, international cooperation is a vitally important element of fighting against illegal immigration. The Turkish Cypriot side has reiterated many times that it is ready to cooperate with the Greek Cypriot administration in order to find solution to the problems emanating from issues affecting the daily lives of all Cypriots, such as illegal migration, bird flu and crime, and the need for close coordination between the two sides. However, the Greek Cypriot administration has refused each and every proposal. Instead, it is easier for the Greek Cypriot authorities to put all the blame on the Turkish Cypriot side and enjoy the benefits of the usurped title of “the Republic of Cyprus” while the Turkish Cypriot people continue to suffer under unjust isolations. This is not only exacerbating the lack of confidence between the two peoples of the Island, but also damaging the efforts towards unifying Cyprus.

To put this issue into context, one must remember that the negotiation process in Cyprus ended with the overwhelming rejection by the Greek Cypriot side of the UN plan for a solution, at the separate referenda conducted on both parts of the Island on Apr. 24, 2004. The Turkish Cypriots approved the plan with a clear majority. Following that, on Apr. 26, 2004, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council stated its determination to put an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community so as to facilitate the unification of Cyprus by encouraging the economic development of northern Cyprus and asked the European Commission to take concrete steps to this end.

The report of the former UN Secretary-General on his good-offices mission in Cyprus dated May 28, 2004, emphasized that “in the aftermath of the vote, the situation of the Turkish Cypriots calls for the attention of the international community as a whole, including the Security Council;” and underlined the fact that the “Turkish Cypriot vote has undone any rationale for pressuring and isolating them.” On this basis, the UN Secretary-General called upon “the members of the Council” to “give a strong lead to all States to cooperate both bilaterally and in international bodies to eliminate unnecessary restrictions and barriers that have the effect of isolating the Turkish Cypriots and impeding their development.”

The EU Commission's opinion is a substantial response to these calls for relieving the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. There is a great need to build upon this statement. It is now high time for the international community to face this reality and act accordingly without delay. The international community must take the EU Commission legal opinion into account.



Steps that can be taken

There are some bolder steps that can be taken in order to assist the Turkish Cypriot people to increase and expand their relations especially in areas of direct transport, trade, tourism, culture, information and investment.

Cultural/commercial representation offices in Northern Cyprus could be established, ambassadors in Southern Nicosia and/or in Ankara could visit Northern Cyprus regularly and conduct official contacts with Turkish Cypriot authorities, relations between political parties could be established, high ranking political representatives might visit Northern Cyprus and high level visits of Turkish Cypriot political representatives could be realized. In addition to these, direct charter flights could be organized, especially for the high-season period. Aircraft could land at Ercan Airport for refueling. Direct trade with Northern Cyprus can be developed and commercial ships could dock at the Famagusta and Kyrenia ports for exporting goods to the Northern Cyprus and receiving services. Turkish Cypriots could be allowed to use their own travel documents and bilateral cultural and sportive activities might be organized.

All these would send a strong message to the Greek Cypriot administration. The message would be: “You cannot escape from solving the Cyprus question just because you have become a member of the EU. If you do, the world will not wait for you forever and stand by while you try to isolate the Turkish Cypriots”.

If the international community truly wishes to see a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, it has to re-diagnose the root cause of the Cyprus issue and adopt a fresh approach. Ending the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people is a necessary step that would facilitate reaching a comprehensive political solution by showing the Greek Cypriot side that its policy towards the Turkish Cypriot people is bound to fail.

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/arti ... wsid=92728


BINALI YILDIRIM SAYS TRIPS BETWEEN TRNC AND SYRIA WILL CONTINUE
Turkey’s Minister for Transport Binali Yildirim has announced that ships making the journey to and from Gazimagosa to Lazkiye will be listed under the Turkish International Maritime Registry, and that ferry services will resume. Speaking during his meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Mr. Yildirim noted that due to the embargoes and the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people many problems had been experienced during the trips, but now this will be overcome.

Explaining that once the trips from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to Syria had started the Greek Cypriot side and Greece had tried to prevent the trips from taking place through diplomatic channels, Mr. Yildirim said ‘despite all these pressures Syria is still continuing with these voyages’.

‘Respecting the rightful cause of the people of Northern Cyprus and Syria overcoming pressures to stop its relations with the Turkish Cypriot people is worthy of appraisal,’ he added.
http://www.brtk.cc/index.php/lang/en/cat/2/news/25423

[utu]

One wonders though just what game Syria is playing. Syria never does things except in its own national interest, so why this link was established - and currently being maintained - between northern Cyprus and Syria needs to be addressed to Damascus.

[phoenix]

.... the registration problem was resolved and the suspended Latakia-Famagusta services would resume this week. How the problem was resolved has not been disclosed so far.

This should be public-access information, so the fact they are being secretive means they are up to further illegalities.

Anyone travelling under such conditions would be either a desperate illegal immigrant, a stowaway, Turkish, mad or all four

[Bananiot]

Papadopoulos sent the Foreign Minister, Erato Markoullis first and then Vassos Lyssarides, to talk some sense to the Syrians. After each one came back they told us that "now it is okay"!

Now its not okay of course and what Syria did is only the beginning of what will follow.

Papadopoulos is destroying Cyprus!

[Piratis]

What will follow? They will transfer the illegal immigrants with planes?

Did the Annan plan prohibit ferries going to the occupied areas Bananiot? If we had done what you wanted then the TCs would have all the ferries they wanted, not just one. So if one ferry is the destruction of Cyprus, then imagine what it would be if we had accepted the Annan plan.

[Bananiot]

You would have saved Cyprus from partition and you would share our island with our fellow compatriots in peace and prosperity within the EU into which a UNITED Cyprus would have entered, from cape Andreas to Paphos, from Kyrenia to Larnaca!

[Eric dayi]

.... the registration problem was resolved and the suspended Latakia-Famagusta services would resume this week. How the problem was resolved has not been disclosed so far.

This should be public-access information, so the fact they are being secretive means they are up to further illegalities.

Anyone travelling under such conditions would be either a desperate illegal immigrant, a stowaway, Turkish, mad or all four

Come down dear, it's already public-access information, it's just that you GCs are too slow or is it Papadope stopping the news reaching the GC South Cyprus until after he wins the elections? I hope so....

[Bananiot]

Eric, what were your feelings on the Annan Plan?

[Eric dayi]

What will follow? They will transfer the illegal immigrants with planes?

Did the Annan plan prohibit ferries going to the occupied areas Bananiot? If we had done what you wanted then the TCs would have all the ferries they wanted, not just one. So if one ferry is the destruction of Cyprus, then imagine what it would be if we had accepted the Annan plan.

One ferry is just the beginning, when there is the need more will follow.

[Bananiot]

Of course the solution proposed by the UN prohibited the entry of Syrians. One of its derogations was totally in favour of the Greek Cypriots since it prohibited the movement of Turkish Nationals to Cyprus for permanent stay.