Cyprus-Forum.com

[CopperLine]

Piratis,
No, no and thrice no.

Depending in large part of what and how a government interprets international law - that's why government's seek international legal counsel - will inform to some extent the policies that are taken. In the case of Turkey's intervention in Cyprus the government clearly thought that they had international law on their side insofar as it was justified on humanitarian grounds and T of Guarantee grounds. This the Turkish government has continued to maintain despite the fact that it is a set of arguments that have been rejected. If the Turkish government had the motivation (questionable) and capacity (undoubtedly) in 1974 (and onwards) to annexe northern Cyprus then they could have done so, but then the humanitarian or T of Guarantee justification would not have been available to it. Annexation is clearly and unequivocally illegal in international law.

Now why on earth would the Turkish government suffer the continuing condemnation re Cyprus intervention if its real underlying purpose was to annexe Cyprus ? Why didn't it just say 'sod this humanitarian mallarky we might as well just annexe for the trouble its worth, its what we wanted anyway' ? You might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.

The operation of international law and the campaign of the RoC government in international law rests precisely on the difference that I highlighted above. Turkey in Cyprus is an occupying power not an annexing power, and that's what the ECHR amongst others sees as the basic relationship. A world of difference.

[-mikkie2-]

CopperLine

Northern Cyprus was in large part populated by Greek Cypriots before 1974. The existance of the 'trnc' is based on ethnically cleansing the northern part of Cyprus and populating it with Turks and forcing a population exchange a year after the invasion. This was not a 'peace' operation but an invasion and recognised as such.

You cannot compare Cyprus to what has happened in Georgia. South Ossetia is mainly populated by Russian speakers and Cossacks which have lived there for centuries and mixed in among them are a minority of Georgians. Russia intervened when the Georgian army turned on the Russian peacekeeping forces that were already there.

[Piratis]

CopperLine, annexation would be illegal, just like the the declaration of the "trnc" is illegal.
Here is the UN resolution that declares the "trnc" as legally invalid:

http://www.un.int/cyprus/scr541.htm

Turkey never had any intention to be legal. They give a bunch of lame excuses as to why they occupy north Cyprus and why they declared the "trnc", and they could very easily give a bunch of similar lame excuses if they declared that north Cyprus is part of Turkey. This is just the label that Turks give to their occupation. No matter what the label, the fact is that Turkey through military force is controlling the north part of Republic of Cyprus.