Cyprus Government Spokesman Daily Briefing, 03-11-10

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From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>

Daily briefing of the Press by the Government Spokesman - 10 November 2003

At the beginning of today's briefing of the Press, the Government Spokesman Mr Kypros Chrysostomides stated, inter alia, that the President of Moldova Mr Vladimir Veronin would pay an official visit to Cyprus and that he would have an official meeting with the President of the Republic Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, as well as representatives of the two countries, at the Presidential Palace in the afternoon of the same day. Mr Chrysostomides also said that two agreements would be signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance of Cyprus and Moldova respectively.

Mr Chrysostomides made reference to the statements by Mr Ozkok which, he said, were demonstrating the true intentions of the occupation force. Mr Chrysostomides said that Mr Ozkok referred to the strategic importance that Cyprus had for Turkey and also said that Cyprus was particularly important to Turkey's defence. Mr Chrysostomides referred to Turkey's additional interests that were stemming from Cyprus and which were made evident in Mr Ozkok's statements, namely the territorial waters, the continental shelf, the economic zone and the rights to fishing which Turkey considered very important.

"Thus, it is demonstrated once more that the Turkish Cypriots do not constitute the main interest of the occupation force, Turkey's expansionist policy is demonstrated for the umpteenth time."

Mr Chrysostomides said that Mr Ozkok was ignoring the international opinion and the fact that all countries in the world as well as all international law experts who had written on the Cyprus problem, recognised the illegality of the invasion and the continuous occupation, except Mr Chrysostomides added, Turkey and Mr Ozkok. Mr Chrysostomides said that it was not necessary to recall the interpretation that was given in articles 2 and 4 of the Treaty of Guarantee or their relation to Articles 2 and 103 of the UN Charter which clearly said that even if the Treaty of Guarantee foresaw the right of unilateral intervention by the use of force, which it did not, it would be illegal and contrary to the UN Charter. Mr Chrysostomides also made reference to what was stated by the British Parliament in 1987, namely that the invasion and the continuous occupation were contrary to international law.

"Thus, Mr Ozkok is not justified in considering that there is no illegality. However, as I said before, he lives in his own world. He is even provocative towards the EU by saying that the EU will not succeed in the withdrawal of troops within two days and that there will not be any European citizen who will fight and die in Cyprus for this purpose. However, the European Commission's last report is clear and Mr Ozkok ought to recognise the importance of the messages that are contained in the Report of the Commission, instead of provoking the EU."

Mr Chrysostomides was asked to comment on publications in the Turkish Cypriot press on the issue of properties in the closed town of Famagusta and on the allegation that EVKAV was advertising announcements in English asking the Greek Cypriots to submit applications for compensation. The Government Spokesman replied that the latter was nothing new since EVKAV continued to say it had rights over Famagusta, and he added that the issue was solved in 1960. Mr Chrysostomides said there was a specific reference in the Treaty of Guarantee and a specific clause for the paying of compensation on the part of the previous administration, namely the British administration. Mr Chrysostomides said that the proof of ownership was registration in the Land Registry Office of Cyprus.

"Therefore, all properties that are legally registered to any Turkish Cypriot are recorded in the Land Registry Office of Cyprus. So, the EVKAV does not have further rights apart from the rights that are attributed to it by the registration in the Land Registry Office of Cyprus."

Invited to comment on the allegation that there was a warning to the Greek Cypriots that unless they responded to the announcement within 30 days they could lent or sell their properties to a third party, Mr Chrysostomides replied:

"It is a continuous illegality such as the illegality of the so called expropriation, on the basis of the so called law and the so called constitution of the occupation regime, which is continuing. The decision by the ECHR on both the Loizidou case and the Cyprus' Fourth Intergovernmental Application against Turkey but also on the previous intergovernmental applications affirms that the right to property is not affected by the occupation."

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