The Immovable Property
CommIssIon of the TurkIsh RepublIc Of
Northern Cyprus Is a ValId DomestIc JudIcIal
Remedy
The European Court of Human Rights ruled
that the Immovable Property Commission (IPC)
of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
which was set up with the aim of
establishing an effective domestic remedy
for claims relating to abandoned properties
in Northern Cyprus, is a valid domestic
judicial remedy whose jurisdiction extends
to Greek Cypriots.
The Grand Chamber said the applications on
eight cases were inadmissable, highlighting
that the Turkish Cypriot commission "was an
appropriate domestic body, with access to
the relevant information, and clearly the
more appropriate forum for deciding on
complex matters of property ownership and
valuation and assessing financial
compensation."
The verdict means that from now on Greek
Cypriots will not be able to launch court
cases against Turkey at the European court
prior to seeking redress with the IPC and
sets a precedent for approximately 1,500
property cases pending at the European
court. The ruling is also significant to
show that IPC’s functioning, which is in
accordance with the international law, is
recognized by the ECHR.
PrIme MInIster Eroglu: “The
European Court of Human RIghts’ recognItIon
of a CommIssIon In TRNC Is very Important”
Premier Derviþ Eroglu said that the European
Court of Human Rights’ recognition of a
Commission in TRNC is very important and he
is very pleased with the ruling.
Mr. Eroglu commented on the ruling of the
The European Court of Human Rights after his
return to the republic on friday after
completing his contacts in the Turkish
capital Ankara. About the ruling, the
Premier said that they were given an advance
notice of signal and “this is a very
important and a pleasing ruling”.
The Premier said that the Greek Cypriots who
have applied for and are unsatisfied with
the proposals of the Immovable Property
Commission, still have the rights to apply
for The European Court of Human Rights. And
he noted the fact that there probably be
unsatisfied applicants because of pressure
imposed upon them from the Greek Cyprus
Authorities and the Greek Orthodox Church.
Briefly Eroglu said:
“The European Court of Human Rights’ ruling
is very important for TRNC. It should not be
considered that we will end up with victory
in the negotiations. There are six chapters
on the negotiation table. There are people
who want to create an atmosphere that Cyprus
Issue is about to resolve, but we are not at
that point yet. We have to see the Greek
Cypriot party’s reaction first. We need to
see what will be the claims of the Greek
Cypriot applicants. Consequently, the
European Court of Human Rights’ recognition
of a Commission in TRNC is very important.
To reach that end, President of the Republic
of Turkey, the Turkish Government and the
Ambassador of EU spent considerable
effort.
Davutoglu: “RulIng made by the
European Court of Human RIghts Is a hIstorIc
decIsIon and must be understood very well”
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
evaluated the ruling made by the European
Court of Human Rights that the TRNC
immovable property commission as “a historic
decision” and added that “this must be
understood very well”.
“IPC’s effectiveness as a domestic remedy
has been confirmed with the judgement of the
ECtHR. Moreover, after declaring IPC as an
effective domestic mechanism, it became
imperative for the citizens of the Greek
Cypriot Administration to bring their claims
primarily before the IPC and to seek a
solution for the immovables of which they
claim to possess in the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus before 1974.” said Mr.
Davutoglu.
Noting that the ruling by the ECHR should
have an easing effect and positive role on
the two sides during the negotiations
process, Mr. Davutoglu said on the property
issue, this decision will have an important
advantage in trying to achieve an improved
and just solution on the issue.
We appreciate this ruling said Davutoglu and
added that the ruling also means that the
ECHR recognizes there is a functioning legal
order in the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus which is in accordance with
international law.
From now on the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus Immovable Properties Commission has
become the authorized body to deal with this
issue, he added.
FOREIGN MINISTER OZGURGUN: “A SOLUTION WOULD
BE EASY IF THE EQUAL STATUS OF TURKISH
CYPRIOTS IS ACCEPTED”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Huseyin Ozgurgun
stated that a settlement could be achieved
in Cyprus within the framework of the red
lines and would be easy if the equal status
of the Turkish Cypriots is accepted.
Speaking during a conference entitled “The
past, today and the future of Cyprus” at the
Political Sciences Department of the Ankara
University on Friday (5 March) Foreign
Minister Ozgurgun pointed out that the
Turkish Cypriot people had established
Turkish Resistance Movement in order to
struggle against the aggressions by Greek
Cypriots and managed to come to these days
by giving a strong struggle.
Explaining that the Greek Cypriots have
deceived the international community for
years with an argument to the effect that
the Turkish Cypriot people were a minority
in Cyprus Ozgurgun said however the Turkish
Cypriot people has never been undaunted by
this.
Reminding that many proposals have been
presented and efforts spent for the two
peoples to survive on the island Ozgurgun
said however the Greek Cypriots, who have
rejected all the proposals for a settlement,
acted and still continue to do so with the
desire to dominate the whole island.
Stating that he had attended for five years
to the studies of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) before his
ministerial duty and tried to explain the
embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot
people at every platform Ozgurgun said the
Greek Cypriots have always gave false
messages to the world and tried to ignore
the existence of the Turkish Cypriots even
at the studies of the Council.
Stressing that Turkish troops had stopped
the bloodshed and brought peace to the
island in 1974 Ozgurgun said since than the
Cyprus Island has been the most secure
island in the world.
Ozgurgun emphasized that the negotiations
would continue for the future of Cyprus and
said their aim is to continue the
negotiations with goodwill and reach a
comprehensive settlement at the end.
Explaining the Greek Cypriot Parliament’s
recent decision rejecting the guarantee
system Ozgurgun said the decision was very
wrong and TRNC Parliament’s decision which
stressed the vital importance of guarantees
for the Turkish Cypriot people was the best
answer in response to the Greek Cypriot
Parliament’s decision and added that the
importance of guarantees was
non-contestable.
Noting that the TRNC was standing on its own
feet with all its institutions and
continuing to develop Ozgurgun said all the
measures have been taken for overcoming the
difficulties and developing the economy in
the country and the TRNC’s 18 representative
offices abroad have been continuing to spend
efforts for explaining the Turkish Cypriot
people’s just cause to the world.
CLINTON INVITES PRESIDENT TALAT TO
WASHINGTON
President Mehmet Ali Talat has received an
invitation from the US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton to Washington by the end of
this month.
Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica has
confirmed the said invitation, but added
that President Talat has not yet decided
whether to accept the invitation or not.
PRESIDENT TALAT ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY
President Mehmet Ali Talat has officially
announced his candidacy for the 18th
of April Presidential elections on Saturday
with a rally organized at the Lefkosa
Ataturk Sport Center.
Speaking here Mehmet Ali Talat said during
the 18th of April Presidential
elections the Turkish Cypriots would be
making a decision regarding their future.
He said ‘5 years ago we had started a new
era now we have gathered here today to bring
this even further. This is a great meeting
and we have no intentions of stopping half
way. We will move further ahead’, he told
the gathers.
He concluded his speech by saying ‘as
President I am not promising you the past
but the world’.
39% PERCENT OF GREEK CYPRIOTS ARE IN FAVOR
OF “DIVISION”
In a public survey carried out in South
Cyprus, 39% percent of the Greek Cypriots
who participated in the survey said they are
in favour of “division” with regard to the
type of a solution in Cyprus.
The survey was carried out by Symmetron
Market Research Company on behalf of the
Greek Cypriot daily Kathimerini between
17-24 February 2010 and 800 individuals were
interviewed. According to the results of the
survey 39% percent of the participants are
in favour of “division”, 37% are in favour
of federation as a type of solution of the
Cyprus problem and 24% in favour of the
continuation of the current situation and
15% in favour of an absolute division with
distribution of certain amount of land.
In response to a question if they believe
the ongoing negotiations would be concluded
successfully or not, 80% of the people said
they don’t believe and 17% said they
believed the talks would end successfully
with a solution.