Cyprus-Forum.com

[Dollop]

Also from the Telegraph in the UK:

A British couple risk losing both their homes after being caught in an international property dispute, the High Court was told yesterday.

Linda and David Orams built their "dream retirement holiday home" near Kyrenia in northern Cyprus three years ago.

Meletis Apostolides, a British-trained architect, claims that he owns the land in Lapithos on which the property was built but was forced to leave it and move to the southern part of Cyprus after Turkish troops invaded the north in 1974. Thirty years later, shortly after Cypriots were permitted to cross the island's United Nations-patrolled ceasefire line, he travelled north and found the Orams living there.

Mr Apostolides then won an order from the Nicosia district court telling the Orams to demolish their villa and return the land to Mr Apostolides. But rulings by the Cyprus courts are not recognised in the Turkish-occupied north so Mr Apostolides had the Nicosia rulings registered at the High Court in London under a European Union regulation covering the recognition of foreign judgments.

Mrs Orams, 59, a retired museum assistant, and her husband David, 61, who used to work for South Eastern Electricity, are challenging the court order. The Orams' counsel, Cherie Booth, QC, said that the move by Mr Apostolides was an attempt to deprive the Orams of their home in Hove, Sussex. They would have to sell it to pay compensation to Mr Apostolides.

This was denied by Tom Beasley, QC, for Mr Apostolides. "Why else would he come here?" Miss Booth asked. "The inevitable consequence of an order registering and then enforcing this judgment is that Mr and Mrs Orams' matrimonial home is on the line."

Mr Beasley suggested that the Orams could comply with the Cyprus judgment instead. But Miss Booth said that her clients could not demolish their home without permission from the authorities in northern Cyprus, and this would not be granted. Nor could they register Mr Apostlides as the owner, because Greek-Cypriots were not allowed to hold land in the north without permission.

Mr and Mrs Orams were "caught up in a sadly very long-standing dispute which goes back to the 1960s, crystallised 32 years ago when the Turks invaded Northern Cyprus", Miss Booth said. "They are unwittingly caught up in what remains, it seems, a conflict of the two communities."

There was no doubt the Orams had been dragged into a very difficult issue, she continued. "The fact is that, as a result of these proceedings, they have encountered a great deal of hostility in Cyprus. There has been much media coverage and name-calling - Mr Orams was forced to send in a defence of his behaviour to the press in Cyprus, explaining that all he was doing was protecting his wish for a fair trial.

"There has also been press coverage in this country which has described the Orams as 'home snatchers'. This emotive description of them is clearly very upsetting to them. They were entirely innocent in this process.''

She said the couple had bought the land in good faith under the laws of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and had no intention of depriving anyone of it. "If anyone is in danger of losing their home, it is not Mr Apostolides, it is the Orams."

The Prime Minister's wife has been criticised by Greek Cypriots for taking what is seen as the Turkish side in the dispute.

A victory for the Orams would be welcomed by Turkish property developers and expatriate home-owners in northern Cyprus.

The hearing is expected to last three days and judgment is likely to be reserved.

[Pyrpolizer]

I dont need your pity as has no value your attitude is belittling and uncalled for. You live thousands of miles away and attempt to judge reality from a far. Nothing can be put on hold until the GCs try to extract all their demands to agree a solution. But there again its your right you can say NO to each and every plan that comes your way every 30 years or so, we have to respect that...

The solution is there right in front of you. Are you so blind you cannot see it? Start from Varoshia. Intensify your efforts on the technical committes on both the everyday and the essensial issues. Then a final round of meetings between his Excelency and Mr Talat . Finished.

Stop taking pride for selling the stolen GC properties and stop doing it.It makes things more difficult.

NB.Should I point once again that all these initiatives are because of his Excelency’s Mr Tassos Papadopoulos initiatives?
What has Talat done so far?? Nothing he just hides behind a dead plan!

[MR-from-NG]

TRNC? what TRNC? whats that? cheese?

No, It's not cheese, it's a 10 inch dildo that Mr Papadopulous uses to pleasure himself.

[Pyrpolizer]

You are paranoid

your attitude is belittling and uncalled for.

Oh really? Am I the one who sweared at you?

[Pyrpolizer]

No, It's not cheese, it's a 10 inch dildo that Mr Papadopulous uses to pleasure himself.

I am sure you are an expert on the use of 10 inch dildos.

[Kikapu]

Yesterday Candounas, the lawyer instrumental in taking the case to the UK, told the Cyprus Mail he believed the case was “going well”.

“We are very pleased,” he said, adding the quip that it had been “very interesting listening to Ms Booth’s arguments”.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2006

Sounds like the captain of the Titanic, saying, "full speed ahead", when there are Icebergs in it's path. !!

[G.Man]

Gotta say I find this case embarassing being a brit...

Wife of current prime minister getting involved in theft of land... says a lot for the ethics of her and probably UK prime minister..

Hope they lose badly...

[cypezokyli]

Gotta say I find this case embarassing being a brit...

Wife of current prime minister getting involved in theft of land... says a lot for the ethics of her and probably UK prime minister..

Hope they lose badly...

well i also hope they loose badly.

but i believe that if we find an act immoral , then that act should always be immoral i.e. cheries blair as the wife of the PM shouldnt take any cases.

the same can ofcource be said for tpap & co , anast. & co , rikkos & co etc etc ...

[Viewpoint]

I dont need your pity as has no value your attitude is belittling and uncalled for. You live thousands of miles away and attempt to judge reality from a far. Nothing can be put on hold until the GCs try to extract all their demands to agree a solution. But there again its your right you can say NO to each and every plan that comes your way every 30 years or so, we have to respect that...

The solution is there right in front of you. Are you so blind you cannot see it? Start from Varoshia. Intensify your efforts on the technical committes on both the everyday and the essensial issues. Then a final round of meetings between his Excelency and Mr Talat . Finished.

Stop taking pride for selling the stolen GC properties and stop doing it.It makes things more difficult.

NB.Should I point once again that all these initiatives are because of his Excelency’s Mr Tassos Papadopoulos initiatives?
What has Talat done so far?? Nothing he just hides behind a dead plan!

Maraş is part of an overall solution, piece meal deals will not work and something like the Annan plan should be agreed. Your leaders technical committee issue is just a facade to hide behind he will bog down negotiations in so much technical shit and blame all and sundry for no progress, cause its never the GCs fault is it?
The only reason we have any talk is that after 3 years of near enough begging your leader has finally come around to the idea of meeting Talat otherwise if he were genuine he would have met sooner and gotten the ball rolling obviously this was not his aim and his intentions are still very questionable, dont forget he will not have the luxury of saying no this time.

Where do you get the notion that I take pride in selling GC land all I am saying is that we cannot stop everything until GCs feel they want a solution and negotiate in goodfaith to find a solution we can say yes to, life goes on.
As I say act as if you mean it and work harder for solution, dont expect anyone else to sort your peoblems out and sure enough the building will stop completely. The choice is yours.

[Viewpoint]

Yesterday Candounas, the lawyer instrumental in taking the case to the UK, told the Cyprus Mail he believed the case was “going well”.

“We are very pleased,” he said, adding the quip that it had been “very interesting listening to Ms Booth’s arguments”.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2006

Sounds like the captain of the Titanic, saying, "full speed ahead", when there are Icebergs in it's path. !!

Brilliant