Frank and Joan's news for 28 January 2010 in Northern Cyprus

Frank and Joan's Adventures in Northern Cyprus

Our adventures in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue....

Back on the hot topic at this time, some interesting articles have appeared in the press. The first appeared in the Guardian UK today.

Turkish Cypriot appetite for united island dwindles as hostility grows.
Separatist sentiments gain ground in north of Cyprus despite new
round of reunification talks.

Surveys suggest rising numbers of Turkish Cypriots feel that a separate state is a more viable solution than reunification.

Mustafa Iusufoglu was only a small child when Turkish troops overran his village a few miles outside Nicosia in the summer of 1974. But he remembers clearly the elation with which his father and the local Turkish Cypriot community greeted their arrival after years of often bloody, island-wide confrontation with the Greek Cypriot majority.

Cyprus has been divided ever since by a UN-monitored ceasefire line running east to west. But that's for the best, Iusufoglu said. "Before 1974 it was no good. In the village we had two quarters, one for them, one for us. There was one church and one mosque. There were two separate schools. There was no co-operation, no visiting. There were terrible feuds. It's better now.

"The Greeks don't like us and we don't like them. We need to have separate states, though of course it would be good to have a better atmosphere," he said.

Iusufoglu is not alone in his views. Separatist sentiments are gaining ground in Turkish northern Cyprus despite a new round of internationally mediated reunification talks, the latest in a series going back more than 40 years. Ever distrustful of Greek intentions, angered by the international trade embargo and other sanctions imposed on their isolated, mostly unrecognised republic, and buoyed by
the rise of Turkey as a regional superpower, Turkish Cypriots are tired of waiting for a settlement that never comes.

A rising number – 34% in one recent poll – want to go their own way. Another survey found that 85% of Turkish Cypriots do not believe a reunification solution is possible.

There is much scepticism on the Greek Cypriot side, too. "For me personally I think it is better that the two communities are separate," said Halil, a civil servant in Kyrenia. "We tried. But you saw what happened between 1960 and 1974 [when Greek Cypriots discarded a power-sharing constitution bequeathed by Britain, the former colonial power]. The Greek Cypriots feel the same way."

Suleyman Oral, owner of the Mardin restaurant near Lefke, is more vehement. "The Greek Cypriots are looking at the world with one eye. They don't understand the realities. The Greeks would like to see all Turkish people go back to Turkey. If Turkey [whi

ch has an estimated 30,000 troops in the north] leaves, in a minute they will destroy us. They have tried to do this before."

Businessman Gunay Cherkez, president of the Turkish Cypriot chamber of commerce, said the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was viable economically, especially if post-1974 restrictions on direct trade and exports, flights, visas, telecoms and higher education opportunities within the EU were lifted – although
he conceded it would continue to rely on support from Turkey.

Like other Turkish Cypriots, Cherkez expressed anger at last week's court of appeal decision to uphold a ruling ordering a British couple, David and Linda Orams, to demolish a house they built in northern Cyprus on land belonging to a dispossessed Greek Cypriot.

He claimed the case demonstrated the insincerity of the Greek Cypriot side in the peace talks, where property rights on both sides of the UN buffer zone are a central issue along with security, territory, and governance.

With the current nationalist prime minister, Dervis Eroglu, tipped to replace the TRNC's pro-reunification president, Mehmet Talat, in elections in April, separatist momentum seems likely to grow. Only an unexpected breakthrough in the latest round of talks, due to conclude tomorrow, would significantly change the current dynamic, said Ahmet Sozen of the Cyprus Policy Centre in Famagusta.

"Turkey will push the TRNC to stay at the negotiating table" for fear of damaging its bid to join the EU, Sozen said. "But if the Turkish Cypriots are forced to quit, there are other scenarios. One is growing normalisation of relations with other countries, like
Taiwan has done. Some countries will start recognising the TRNC, Muslim countries like Syria and Qatar."

Comparisons with Kosovo were also valid, Sozen suggested. In that case, an independent state had been carved out of territory belonging to a sovereign power (Serbia) after a military intervention. A degree of international recognition had then followed.

Turkish Cypriot leaders say they are committed for now to the UN brokered reunification process. But foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun said that if the talks failed again, "we will work for recognition" of the TRNC as an independent state. He said his government had increased the number of its representative offices overseas and
obtained observer status in the 56-country Organisation of the Islamic Conference. It may open direct air links with Iran next year.

Gunay Cherkez summed up Turkish Cypriots' exasperation with what they characterise as endless Greek Cypriot foot-dragging: "I want to dance. I arrange the music. I lower the lights. I'm all dressed up! But my partner doesn't want to join me. So maybe I dance on my own."

And now to some activity from the BRS.

At the same time the British Residents Society has been active with the governing authorities here on our behalf and below is a statement issued by the. I would suggest that their comment about increasing the number of members is very valid as it will give them a stronger voice in their discussions. So if you do reside here, or even if you are not permanently resident here but just have a holiday home, then log on to their website www.brstrnc.com and use the links to join up.

STATEMENT BY THE BRS.

Stephen Day, Vice Chairman and Colin Mulcahy, Government Liaison Officer of the British Residents’ Society have had a meeting with the Presidency, which has had responsibility for the handling of the Orams case. The Society is pleased to have been given assurances that the validity of all forms of title deeds will be honoured by the TRNC. Whilst unable to give a blanket guarantee of compensation in every case, should there be any further Greek Cypriot court action, each case will be judged on its merits.

Further meetings with relevant Ministries and Agencies will take place in this developing situation to ensure that the interests of B R S members and the wider expatriate community are represented and safeguarded to the best of our ability.

We have been given to understand that the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the status of the Immovable Property Commission is expected by the summer and this is being viewed optimistically by the Presidency.

Until it is known, if the IPC is recognised as a legitimate remedy in property disputes, the B R S suggests that no precipitous action is taken to divest property or cancel agreed purchase agreements until the ruling of the ECHR is given.

There are already 400 applications with the IPC, 86 of which have been settled, and on affirmation of its legality the IPC would become the legitimate and practical way of resolving claims. The settlements would be internationally recognized.

We urge all British Passport holders with property in the TRNC to join the B R S in order to increase its influence of the expatriate community and strengthen its ability to protect their interests in the present difficult circumstances.

Further statements will be issued as the situation develops and details of further initiatives that the B R S is developing will be given.

Morton Coles
Chairman BRS 27th January 2010