by Jerry » Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
It's in the Cyprus Mail:-
Talat thwarts sell-off of Greek Cypriot land
By Simon Bahceli
A PLAN to sell off thousands of donums of Greek Cypriot land in the north was thwarted yesterday by the last minute intervention of Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, a source close to Talat told the Cyprus Mail.
The plan came to light in an article published yesterday by the north’s top-selling daily Kibris, which said the Turkish Cypriot ‘council of ministers’ had passed a bill last July allowing for the privatisation of ‘government-held’ Greek Cypriot land in Kyrenia, Morphou, Lapithos, Famagusta, Yialoussa, Ayios Molaos, Kazafana, Ayios Epiktitos, Karavas and Akanthou.
Talat is said to have been unaware of the plan and “was furious” when he read about it in yesterday’s Kibris.
With Talat and President Demetris Christofias due to meet and discuss the thorny issue of property rights today, the news could not have come at a worse time.
“It’s a shame on the council of ministers, and totally against the philosophy and practice of the current government,” the source, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Cyprus Mail. He added that the revelation had resulted in angry words between Talat and the Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Ferdi Sabit Soyer.
Soyer’s press officer said yesterday, however, that he and Talat had not argued, but that Talat had simply ordered that the sell-off be ditched.
Asked how Talat could have been left unaware of such a major development involving such large tracts of Greek Cypriot land, the source said: “Decisions taken by the council of ministers do not need the approval of the president, so unless he goes through all their decisions one-by-one it’s possible for him not to know.
“I am sure he wasn’t aware of the situation. I got that impression when I saw his face this morning”.
He added, however, that Talat had intervened, not only because of ongoing reunification talks, but because of the negative impact the selloff could have on 1,400 Greek Cypriot property cases against Turkey at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The Turkish Cypriot side has established a controversial property commission that offers compensation and, in some cases, the reinstatement of property rights to displaced Greek Cypriot refugees. The legal status of the property commission has yet to be established by the ECHR.
“Something like this could have been really bad for us,” the source said.
According to yesterday’s Kibris report, the lands were to be sold off to raise around €20 million for the cash-strapped Turkish Cypriot administration, which is currently facing difficulties paying even the salaries of public sector workers. The ‘government’ will also face the electorate on April 19, and selling off assets may have been seen as a way of currying favour with some of its financial backers.
Of the prize properties up for grabs, one was a derelict ‘state-owned’ chicken farm in Ayios Molaos “with superb views”, said to be worth around €3 million. Another unspecified property in Kazafana was also said to be worth around €3 million, along with another in Flamoudi “with a starting price” of €1.1 million.
Commenting before yesterday’s revelations, Talat said, “Property is a difficult issue, because for the last 45 years there have existed two separate property regimes. There is one in the south, and one in the north. The one in the south has its problem, and so does the one in the north.”Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009
Or is it a case of "Good cop/bad cop"