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[CBBB]

Turkish property expert: 90% of British will sell Cyprus property

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE 20.JAN.10
Under the banner headline "We have lost the Orams case", Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper reports that "the turn of Dome Hotel is coming" adding that lawyer Costandis Cantounas has stated that the owner of the hotel called him and that he is preparing to take the occupation regime to court.

The Dome remains the legal property of the Greek family who fled after the Turkish invasion of 1974.

Hurriyet published an interview with Serden Hoca, a member of the Turkish Cypriot committee which discusses the property issue at the negotiations.

According to Mr Hoca, approximately ten thousand foreigners reside in the occupied areas, of which five thousand “own” property.

Of those, 90% are British. Due to the verdict of the British court, a number of these will sell property out of panic.

Hoca also alleged that the Orams decision is going to harden the stance of the Greek Cypriots on the property issue, who ask for the return of their properties in the occupied areas.

Responding to a question whether the Greek Cypriots will continue to file law suits, Mr Hoca said that if the government or the church continue to undercover provide their support and if the government takes such a political decision, it is possible the filing of many Greek Cypriot law suits.

Meanwhile, Kibris newspaper reports that in statements to the paper, Linda Orams said: "We know that the decision is political. We will allow to no one to destroy our lives. The struggle continues."

The paper added that Erdogan Dervis, a Turkish Cypriot advocate who lives in London, alleged that the decision violated the Protocol 10 of the Accession Treaty of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union.

Under the title "Eroglu: The decision is unfair", Kibris refers also to the reactions to the decision by the Turkish Cypriot political party leaders and the ‘minister of foreign affairs’ Huseyin Ozgurgun.

Dervis Eroglu said the decision of the British court was not a surprise for him and said that usually the decisions taken in Europe do not change in the EU member countries.

He described the decision as “unfair” and alleged that it ignored the realities and proved once more that the Turkish Cypriots should trust their “motherland” Turkey.

“This is a decision taken in order to corner the Turkish side at the [negotiating] table, to create difficulties to it.

However, the Turks of Cyprus will not give up the rights they gained. They will continue to defend their just cause abroad and at the negotiating table. They will pursue an agreement to live in peace and security on the TRNC lands under the guarantees of Turkey,” he said.

Turkish Cypriot officials said that there is no need for panic and gave the following assurance to the approximately 15 thousand British residents, who purchased property and live in the occupied areas of Cyprus: “Our state will not victimize anyone. We are in the position of being able to take any kind of administrative and legal decision which is necessary”.

A Turkish Cypriot ‘foreign office’ official added that after the decision of the British Court, he met with some foreigners living in north Cyprus and noted that these persons are more determined to struggle than the “authorities” of the breakaway regime. “We will take the necessary measures. We will not victimize anyone”, he concluded.

Moreover, Ferdi Sabit Soyer, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), connected the result of the Orams case to “the existence of some international problems in the property system”.

He said the only way out is to find a political solution to the Cyprus problem. “Even if you follow a policy for a separate state and they recognize you, you have to sign the treaty of the Council of Europe”, he noted.

“The legal way is the solution and the property issue should be solved within this framework”, he said.

Meanwhile, Serdar Denktas, leader of the Democratic Party (DP), said the decision will directly influence the “citizens” of the “TRNC”, breakaway regime in the occupied part of Cyprus, not only the foreigners living there.

He pointed out that the Courts of the Republic of Cyprus might show the Orams Case as a precedent and take decisions regarding other properties which have been developed in the occupied areas.

He argued that the decision will have catastrophic consequences for the economy of the breakaway regime.

Mr Denktas expressed the view that the Turkish Cypriot side will come into a difficult situation in the negotiations and added that the Turkish Cypriot leader Talat should quickly call a meeting for evaluating the situation.

He said the “assembly” should carry out an investigation on how this case was lost for the Turkish Cypriots.

- Copyright © Famagusta Gazette 2009

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[RichardB]

There has been a lot of talk about Brits selling up in the north ...but who to?? After the verdict of Tuesday no right minded person will touch the property with a barge pole!! and if any one is of the mind to risk it what will they offer ..30-40% of supposed value ..whatever way the carpet bagging thieves are screwed...Up the Swanee without a paddle ...what a bloody shame

[-mikkie2-]

"He said the “assembly” should carry out an investigation on how this case was lost for the Turkish Cypriots. "

I think their 'investigations' into why they lost the case will result in the same conclusions that the British court came to!

[Malapapa]

"He said the “assembly” should carry out an investigation on how this case was lost for the Turkish Cypriots. "

I think their 'investigations' into why they lost the case will result in the same conclusions that the British court came to!

I could save the “assembly” a lot of time by telling them the case was lost because the defendents were... err... guilty.

[runaway]

Let the Brits sell their properties to Turks. I wonder how EU will blackmail them. Seize their properties in Türkiye maybe?

[Gasman]

They have to find buyers first. Some of the properties over there have been up for sale for years (at roughly what they cost off plan) with no takers.

I wonder now what will happen about the thousands of unfinished ugly grey concrete hulks dotted all over the landscape? I doubt they will be finishing them off now. Some of those haven't been worked on for years.

Of course some Brits won't have to worry about trying to sell their property there - they paid but have never received anything!

[Raymanoff]

Thats how i laugh right now.

[kurupetos]

Let the Brits sell their properties to Turks. I wonder how EU will blackmail them. Seize their properties in Türkiye maybe?

Isn't Turkey an EU candidate country? An extra leverage for the RoC over RoT(ten).

[runaway]

Let the Brits sell their properties to Turks. I wonder how EU will blackmail them. Seize their properties in Türkiye maybe?

Isn't Turkey an EU candidate country? An extra leverage for the RoC over RoT(ten).

If Türkiye had agreed whatever you said or did, we would have remained silent to your massacres of TCs and we wouldn't have the CY prob at all.

[Tim Drayton]

Let the Brits sell their properties to Turks. I wonder how EU will blackmail them. Seize their properties in Türkiye maybe?

I don't know, but I do know that the Republic of Turkey banks which have branches in the north of Cyprus will not accept kochanis for GC property as collateral for loans, so it looks like they know something we don't.