Cyprus-Forum.com

[Bananiot]

Another balanced opinion from the Cyprus Mail, as usual, on the matter:

A WEEK ago, CyBC , which acts as the official mouthpiece of the government, carried an extensive report about a big development project under construction on the foothills of the Kyrenia mountains. The report sparked the obligatory expressions of outrage and condemnation of the occupation regime by the politicians, each putting his political spin on the construction boom in the north.

What is strange is that the construction boom reported by CyBC last week has been in evidence for more than six months, with no one – apart from opposition party DISY – having referred to it at all.

Why, all of a sudden, has it become an issue for the pro-government politicians? The obvious answer is that it provides them with a sound argument to support the oft-repeated contention that Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat is not sincerely interested in a settlement. The same argument is cited as proof that the calls for a settlement by Turkey’s prime minister are just a ‘communications game’.

While it is not difficult to impose this view domestically, outside Cyprus – in the EU and the UN – it is the Greek Cypriot side’s sincerity as regards a settlement, which is under scrutiny. But the pro-government parties are more interested in the domestic audience and the reports about the construction boom could have been used to stir public hostility towards the Turkish side – the exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties is an emotive issue – and deflect attention away from the cause of the building frenzy, which was the rejection of the settlement.

If this was the objective, then the government’s ploy has backfired. President Papadopoulos understood this, which is why he tried to confuse people by claiming on Monday that the construction was not a consequence of the rejection of the plan and that the new Turkish Cypriot leadership had “intensified these unacceptable actions because it thinks it has this right thanks to the Annan plan.”

Talk about turning logic on its head – surely it was the rejection of the Annan plan, coupled with Papadopoulos’ unwillingness to resume negotiations which paved the way for the building boom.

Neither the president nor the pro-government parties would ever concede this point – especially after they told Greek Cypriots to reject the plan and played down its negative consequences.

The continuous development of Greek Cypriot properties was one such consequence, which was never mentioned before the referendum. Nor was the fact the construction boom and growing affluence that it brings could dilute Turkish Cypriots’ interest in a settlement.

There is no denying that what the Turkish side is doing to Greek Cypriot properties is morally and legally unacceptable, but it was inevitable after the rejection of a settlement.

Can it be stopped? The president said the government had been using political, diplomatic and legal means for some time now to stop this. Given the results, we can only assume that the government’s means had not been very effective. We now await to see whether the Justice Minister’s “powerful weapon” – the European arrest warrant – would be more effective in stopping the construction.

At least one member of the government spoke honestly about the matter, avoiding any political spin. On Tuesday Interior Minister Andreas Christou said “the development of Greek Cypriot properties would stop when we are able to come close to a settlement.” This is the crux of the matter, even though the only member of the government who admits it is Christou.

[Agios Amvrosios]

while you starve the tc for the same period then you talk about human rights

Your pariah state has been internationally ostracized for very serious reasons: Genocidal Ethnic cleansing of Kyrenia and other occupied areas.

The international community is doing this to you because it is simply illegal to ethnically cleanse a country and to rape and murder women and children.

All we hear from you is shamelss excuses to justify ethnic cleansing.

[magikthrill]

Why, all of a sudden, has it become an issue for the pro-government politicians? The obvious answer is that it provides them with a sound argument to support the oft-repeated contention that Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat is not sincerely interested in a settlement. The same argument is cited as proof that the calls for a settlement by Turkey’s prime minister are just a ‘communications game’.

Although this is obviously a "dirty" political scheme not referring to it earlier, do you not think that Talat's not requesting the halting of building on GC properties as a setback to a solution? C'mon...

[garbitsch]

Magik, when G.Cs stop using Turkish properties, i.e. cultivating the lands and exporting its products, then I am sure the Turkish side will react in the same manner.

[erolz]

Although this is obviously a "dirty" political scheme not referring to it earlier, do you not think that Talat's not requesting the halting of building on GC properties as a setback to a solution? C'mon...

The fact is since comming to power Talat has made two attempts to slow down the building boom in the North. One to limit foreigners to leasehold purchase and not freehold and one to increase VAT on sales of houses to foreigners. Both attempts have failed. Talat is not a dictator able to end the building boom by dictat - his (former) party does not even have a majority in parilament but relies on coaliton partners to maintain power. The fact is that the building lobby here is very very powerful and influencial. They will resist anyone restriciting their ability to make money. So instead of simply condeming Talat for not stopping the building boom how about the RoC help him to stop it by working with him and offering an alternative (like a trade re opening erjan in return for restrictions on building) and help him by supporting him and thus increase his political support in the TRNC and hence his ability to take on these powerful lobbies of the construction industry here?

[Bananiot]

Magicthrill, the gist of the Cyprus Mail article is the attempt by a government that only cares to win points domestically, to "prove" that the building boom in the north, on GC property, would have happened anyway even if we had voted for the A plan. This is necessary in order to justify the stalling tactics of Papadopoulos while partition is litterary now cemented in front of our eyes.

The building boom would never have happened if we had voted for solution and this is plain obvious that any development on GC properties after 2001 or 2002 as per Plan 5 would not count. Yet, Papadopoulos lies to the people in order to justify his policies which are leading us to disaster, if we indeed agree that partition is not the next best solution but a total disaster.

[MicAtCyp]

If political rights are so unimportant then why such resistance to us having political equality as a community?

because the type of political equality that you personally support, is not the same as what your leadership wants.

The political rights are for the elitists who fool each and everyone of you (GCs and TCs) into beleiving that they will have a signifigant effect to your lives.You should let the elitists settle their differences and stop bothering about it.The Tcs who live in the free areas (mostly gypsies) don't have any elitists among them, thats why they don't have any problem.

The RoC did not in fact contribute to these funds at all they were budgeted and assigned before the RoC gained EU membership.

Perhaps you are unaware that the funds were itemised before will be budgetted for 2006 and 2007 and for this purpose until the end of 2005 there must be submission of all the plans for approval. If until the end of 2005 no plans are submitted the money regarding the itemised funds will not even be budgetted. From 2004 RoC is a net contributor and obviously has a say as to how either old or new items will be budgeted and then cashed.

The delay in the disbursment of this money from the EU is not Talat's rejection of it - it is down to RoC efforts since joining the EU to only allow the money to go to the north if it is administered by the RoC.

Those who arbitrarily "translated" that the economic measures of the EU to the TCs should be a packge of cash and direct trade only agreed that with their ownselves. RoC never agreed to that and never will On the other hand on a gesture of good will we accepted the first part i.e the cash injection. However Talat rejects those money unless he also receives direct trade.So in the end you will even lose the cash, which RoC made sure that they stay there waiting for you to get them anytime you wish until the end of 2005.

[erolz]

Those who arbitrarily "translated" that the economic measures of the EU to the TCs should be a packge of cash and direct trade only agreed that with their ownselves. RoC never agreed to that and never will On the other hand on a gesture of good will we accepted the first part i.e the cash injection. However Talat rejects those money unless he also receives direct trade.So in the end you will even lose the cash, which RoC made sure that they stay there waiting for you to get them anytime you wish until the end of 2005.

There are two issue with this money. One is the linkage to direct trade and the other is how the money will be disbursted - either directly by EU agencies to TC or through the RoC. Even if the linkage to direct trade was removed there is much evidence that TP would still block it reaching TC unless the RoC gets to disburse it - a poltiical objective of trying to force de facto recognition of the RoC as our government.