PACE TELLS TRNC TO STOP SELLING PROPERTY
Cyprus, TRNC, EU
The Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe (PACE) has delivered a significant resolution on the Cyprus issue, which calls for a halt on all transactions in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) involving Greek Cypriot property.
PACE called on the North last week to “confirm their commitment to reunifying Cyprus, and to refrain from insisting on the existence of a ‘separate state’ in the north of the island”. The EU body also said that the TRNC government had to “put an end to the sales of, and construction on, Greek Cypriot properties in the northern part of Cyprus”.
After months of debating the issues surrounding the division of the island, PACE said it “reaffirms its strong commitment to reaching a fair, lasting and comprehensive solution for a peaceful and united Cyprus” and asked for all parties involved in the dispute to do their utmost to help find a solution to the problem.
A further resolution called on all parties to “consider specific aid to help the Turkish settlers to leave” the TRNC ahead of a possible solution, as power sharing in the future would likely be based on the proportion of ethnic Turkish and Greek Cypriots resident on the island. Several reports have highlighted the alleged practice of the TRNC bringing in scores of Turkish residents to boost its power sharing advantage should a solution arise.
“I agree with the resolution and think that it confirms what the Cypriot government has been asking for in regards to finding a solution,” said Chris Christidies, a Greek Cypriot IFA. “While any solution will have to allow some of the Turkish settlers, there are many that are not genuine and will have to go. This decision caries some weight, because of the current momentum, no one wants this to fail and I believe that Turkey, which can be blocked from EU entry by PACE, will put pressure on the TRNC administration.”
Despite the seriousness of the resolution, not all companies believe that the TRNC government has the will or power to enforce its findings.
“The government cannot just stop the construction on what used to be Greek Cypriot land,” said Aykut Mazhar, director of TRNC-based Boray Developments Estate Agency. “It is a matter of stopping life going on. If they tried to enforce this, the whole market economy in the north would crash. There is such a high percentage of Greek Cypriot land here that it would just stop everything.”
There you go Halil, exactly how europe sees it. Just check the bolded statements , ahhhh music to my ears.
Bye Bye, when are you going????
Oh and here is the credible link
http://www.opp.org.uk/news_article.asp?id=2751