GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION’S NEW LAW ON FORMER GREEK CYPRIOT PROPERTY IN NORTH CYPRUS…

PRESIDENT TALAT: “THIS WOULD LEAD TO DE FACTO CLOSURE OF THE BORDER GATES”

PRIME MINISTER SOYER: “IT IS THE GREEK CYPRIOT LEADERSHIP THAT SHOULD BE ARRESTED”

Greek Cypriot dailies reported on 21 November that the Greek Cypriot Minister for Justice and Public Order Sofoklis Sofokleus, referring to people who are using the former Greek Cypriot property in the TRNC had stated that ‘anyone involved in the purchase or sale of such property will be subject to prosecution, regardless of their nationality’.

Sofoklis Sofokleus said that new law would also apply to Turkish Cypriots who are currently residing in or using property formerly owned by Greek Cypriots in North Cyprus and that it envisaged a sentence of imprisonment for 7 years.

President Mehmet Ali Talat describing the new law as an “ordeal” stated that the implementation of this law would lead to de facto closure of the border gates.

Speaking on BRT television on Monday night (21 November), the President accused the Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos of trying to raise the tension between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides and said: “the Greek Cypriot side is playing a very risky game”.

President Talat pointing out that if the Greek Cypriot side continued with such stance, the division in the island would further deepen, said the solution of the Cyprus problem would become impossible.

Talat stressing that the expression included in the said law saying that ‘the Turkish Cypriots who are using the Greek Cypriot former property in North Cyprus will also be tried’, would prevent the Turkish Cypriots from crossing over to South Cyprus, said this meant the “de facto closure of the border gates”.

President Talat pointing to the fact that all the Turkish Cypriots in the TRNC in one way or another were related to the former Greek Cypriot property in North Cyprus, stated that he did not know what kind of attitude the Turkish Cypriot people, who have behaved extremely peaceful until today, would maintain against this incident.

President Talat stated that they would engage in necessary initiatives by the UN and the EU.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer speaking to reporters on his arrival at Ercan Airport evaluated the adoption of the new law by the Greek Cypriot administration. Soyer said that it was Greek Cypriot leadership who should be arrested, because it urged its people to reject the UN Settlement Plan, which would bring about a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

The Prime Minister described the move as: “an indication of an ill intention of the Greek Cypriot administration directed towards preventing the solution of the Cyprus problem and deepening the division in the island.

PRESIDENT TALAT: “TURKEY CANNOT BE BLOCKED IN ITS EU PROCESS”

President Mehmet Ali Talat referring to Turkey’s EU process, stressed that Turkey could not be blocked in this process. Talat pointed to the fact that the Greek Cypriot administration, which was demanding from Turkey to open its ports, was not in a position to make such a demand. Talat said Turkey couldn’t hold normal relations with an administration, which was not behaving reasonably.

Talat speaking on BRT television also stated that the UN Secretary-General’s Undersecretary for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari’s letter sent to the two sides did not have a certain framework.

Stating that the 8^th July agreement reached between him and the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos had not been implemented yet, President Talat said he also raised this issue during his meeting with Annan and the Secretary-General told him that as long as the Greek Cypriot side did not want a solution, it would not sincerely approach to this issue.

President Talat underlined that the real aim of the Greek Cypriot side was to shift the Cyprus issue to the EU platform.

The President pointed out that him and Annan had reached a full consensus on all issues and described the meeting as the “Geneva Agreement”. He added: “Mr. Annan strongly stressed the importance of the lifting of the Turkish Cypriots’ isolations.”

HOODED GREEK CYPRIOTS ENTERED ENGLISH SCHOOL AND ASSAULTED TURKISH CYPRIOT PUPILS

A group of hooded Greek Cypriot pupils from surrounding schools yesterday (22 November) entered the English School in South Nicosia and attacked the Turkish Cypriot pupils.

Widespread safety measures were taken around the school after the incident and the Turkish Cypriot pupils were taken to the Ledra Palace crossing point with escorts and handed over to their parents.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer called upon the Greek Cypriot administration to hand over those who assaulted the Turkish Cypriot pupils to justice. Soyer said on the contrary, this racist behavior would be triggered by the Greek Cypriot state.