Cyprus-Forum.com

[Morphou]

From today's Sunday Times:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 16,00.html

Cherie defends ‘home snatchers’

COLIN SMITH, NICOSIA

JULY is often the cruellest month for middle-aged Greek Cypriots such as Meletis Apostolides. For the British-trained architect, its heat recalls the 1974 Turkish invasion, the deaths of friends in his National Guard unit and his parents’ heartbreak over the loss of a family home and lemon orchards near the graveyards where their ancestors lie.

But Apostolides will not be in Cyprus this week on the 32nd anniversary of the Turkish landings. He will be in the High Court in London, listening to Cherie Blair QC plead for the right of a British couple, David and Linda Orams, to remain in the house they have built on the land the Apostolides family owned and cultivated until they were driven out by Turkish troops.

Apostolides already has a judgment in his favour in the Nicosia district court, which has ordered the Oramses to demolish the substantial house and swimming pool they have built, return the land and pay rent for the time they have occupied it. But the property is near Kyrenia in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a state recognised only by Turkey. Judgments made by a court on the Greek side of the United Nations-patrolled ceasefire line dividing the island cannot be enforced there.

Blair plans to oppose an attempt by the Greek Cypriot’s lawyer to have the Nicosia judgment registered in the High Court. If this succeeds and the Oramses refuse to comply, Apostolides could be compensated by having the couple’s house near Brighton seized.

If Blair succeeds she will have won a test case that will ensure millions of pounds worth of Greek Cypriot property in northern Cyprus can be sold to expatriate bargain-hunters with impunity. “It’s unbelievable,” said Apostolides before his departure for London. “I’m going to be sitting in court listening to the wife of the British prime minister explaining why someone has the right to remain on my land.”

President Tassos Papadopoulos, rarely slow to pick a fight with the former colonial power, has rejected Downing Street’s insistence that Blair is merely doing her job. “It is difficult to separate her from being the wife of the British prime minister,” he declared when the news of her involvement in the case was first announced.

Later the British chargé d’affaires was called to the foreign ministry to hear the Cypriot complaints. “Blair’s involvement was a bit too much. It could have been avoided,” said the ministry’s spokesman. Headlines in the Greek Cypriot press refer to Blair as “Caesar’s wife”. Last week a cartoon showed her bewigged and robed on the steps of the High Court, telling a judge: “My lord, as a specialist in human rights I support the claims of these poor people.” Behind her are the Oramses and people chanting: “We demand to enjoy stolen Greek Cypriot properties.”

Both the Greek and Turkish media insist she will earn £50,000 for handling the case. Exaggerated though these claims might be, there has been considerable speculation that her fees come from a consortium of British and Turkish Cypriot property speculators.

“Don’t dream it — buy it!” command the billboards of one of the estate agents in northern Cyprus. Many of these companies not only have English names, but staff to go with them. “I can do you a nice little flat for £25,000,” said a tanned young man called Dave from Romford, Essex. “Sea and mountain views and a shared pool.”

[miltiades]

Latest news , Sadam Husein has dismissed his defence lawyers , having received a positive response from Cherie Blair , in response to his request that She takes over as his defence lawyer. Following and agreed sum paid up front for 1 millions pounds . She has expressed an interest in defending Osama should he be captured , for a similar sum of money plus a free shopping spree in Harrods for 1 hour during which time she would take what ever she fancied.
Arent our Blair's wonderfully rich. God bless them. And I voted for him too.

[RichardB]

You know I've got a bad feeling about this one.
Surely it is not right that the wife of a serving British Prime Minister can take on the defence of such a politically sensative case.
I really hope that I'm proved wrong and that British justice does prevail in favour of the Apostolides family.
Then I can get drunk to celebrate the fact that our justice system is fair and just.

[miltiades]

It will very much depend on the presiding judge , but the British judicial system has e reputation of fairness and complete independence from the Government. She indeed is a very stupid woman in taking on such a hot potato , but we presume that she did so with the full backing of her husband. It is inconceivable that this politically charged case should be handled by her. IM CONFIDENT THAT THE BRITISH JUSTICE SYSTEM WILL LEAVE UP TO ITS REPUTATION AND RULE ACCORDINGLY.

[RichardB]

I hope you're right. Because if she wins the repurcussions (both financial and on a personal level) would be devastating for thousands of Cypriots and would give a green light to carry on selling stolen land.
Lets hope the presiding judge is not looking for a knighthood in the new years honours list!

[NeverSayGoodbye]

There must be a lot of cash involved here..think about all those "estate agents"

[Kikapu]

Arent our Blair's wonderfully rich. God bless them. And I voted for him too.

Tony is also assured a seat alongside John Major and other Washington insiders in the Carlye Group, an investment company, dealing mostly in weapons, ran by George Bush (daddy) as an advisor for small change, say around $ 1,000,000 a year, for sending the British troops to be killed in Iraq, with a illegal war. Can you think of any other reason, why Tony, the smart one, would follow George, the dummy, on the path to destruction.

[miltiades]

The Carlyle Group is a massive investment Group that does not deal mainly in weapons as you say , so that other forum members can try and see Bush , Blair , or Major this is the web side www.carlylegroup.com
Can you tell us where you got that $1,000,000 that G.Bush allegedly receives .

[Viewpoint]

It will very much depend on the presiding judge , but the British judicial system has e reputation of fairness and complete independence from the Government. She indeed is a very stupid woman in taking on such a hot potato , but we presume that she did so with the full backing of her husband. It is inconceivable that this politically charged case should be handled by her. IM CONFIDENT THAT THE BRITISH JUSTICE SYSTEM WILL LEAVE UP TO ITS REPUTATION AND RULE ACCORDINGLY.

Just because she is not batting in your corner does not make her evil, she took the case on its merits and its the GCs that are running a big risk and backfire to cause even more interest in property in the north. You play with fire somewhere along the line you will get burnt.

You cannot expect the TCs to sit and back take all the shit you throw at us, we will always fight back with every means possible. This is human nature you seem to forget this time and time again. Taking this couple to court in the UK was not our idea so you will either reep the benefits or pay the price but if the later you only have yourselves to blame.

[miltiades]

She took the case on its merit you say , does this mean that all of the G/C properties that have been sold to foreigners are according to you legit. She took the case out of sheer greed there is nothing moral about selling my ancestral home to a bunch of British cheapskates.
The case in London will shorty be heard.