Lower costs for Turkish Cypriots studying overseas
By Stefanos Evripidou
(archive article - Saturday, May 22, 2004)

TURKISH CYPRIOTS with Cypriot citizenship are entitled to pay home fees at British universities, said the British Council in Nicosia yesterday.

Turkish Cypriots who are citizens of the Cyprus Republic are deemed EU citizens and as such no longer have to pay the steep international fees of British universities. EU students are charged around one seventh of the price compared to internationals.

According to the British Council, Turkish Cypriots who are citizens of the Republic are treated the same as Greek Cypriots regarding fee status.

The UK Department for Education and Skills only requests that the student send some form of identification either an ID card or birth certificate in order to qualify for home fee status.
One university asked an applicant whether he was from “Greek Cyprus”.

The British Council official said this was probably to determine which community the applicant was from as a number of universities were not yet fully informed of the situation and often requested further information on the status of Turkish Cypriot applicants.

Cyprus Mail 2004

Boom time in Kyrenia
By Simon Bahceli
(archive article - Saturday, May 22, 2004)

Despite rejection of the Annan plan, foreigners keen for a home in the sun are snapping up properties in the north

PURCHASE OF property in the occupied north is booming, with foreign investors flocking to Kyrenia and Famagusta to cash in on cut-price land and houses, according to claims by Pan Cyprian Real Estate Agents Association president Solomon Courouclides.

“Foreign interest has increased greatly in the north, especially after the opening of crossing points,” he said, adding that there has been a 100 per cent increase in the number of building permits granted in the last three months.

Courouclides says the greatest interest is in the Kyrenia area, but that development was also expanding in Famagusta and Trikomo.

These comments are backed by estate agents in the north who say that business is booming, as it is for property developers too.

“There has been a tremendous increase, mainly from UK buyers,” said Ian Smith, an estate agent who has been on the island and in the real estate business for more than 20 years.

He says that simply by witnessing the number of new real estate agents that have sprung up in Kyrenia over the last few years, it is obvious how things have grown.

“When we started in 1984, there were three of us [estate agents]. Now there are 26 in the Kyrenia area alone, all of them are quite busy”.

As well as the British, Smith says he has seen a marked increase in the number of foreign development companies moving in to cash in on the boom, particularly Israelis.

“There are a few Israeli companies buying land in Karmi, Lapithos and Ayios Epiktitos.” He says they are most keen to buy Turkish Cypriot properties, rather than those abandoned by Greek Cypriots, despite the fact that they are more expensive than the equivalent Greek Cypriot property.

Smith says one Israeli developer recently bought a 70-donum plot near Kazafani that prior to 1974 belonged to a Lebanese man. The company will now develop the land as a holiday village.
Cemil Tamcelik of Buy and Sell Estate Agency in Kyrenia said he believed there were at least ten Israeli developers in the area purchasing land in the Ayios Amvrosios area and the Karpass.

He added that overall property sales had doubled in the last year and a half.

The consensus among estate agents in Kyrenia is that the Annan plan has been good for business since the property regime of the plan gave priority to the current occupier if ‘improvements’ had been made to the property. Building on an empty plot of land is termed as ‘improvement’, according to the plan.

However, despite rejection of the plan by Greek Cypriots in last month’s referendum the boom has not ended, signifying a widespread belief that the UN-backed peace deal may yet see implementation.
Tamcelik says prices have increased dramatically, but not enough to scare off potential investors.
“In Kyrenia you can get a donum of land for between £40,000 and £50,000 pounds sterling,” he said, adding that a donum in out of town in places like Ayios Amvrosios can cost as little as £8,000 to £15,000.

Even though Turkish Cypriot houses are still the most sought after as there is no possibility of facing the expensive compensation claims that there may be with buying Greek Cypriot property, foreigners have now been prohibited from buying Turkish Cypriot properties after a moratorium was slapped on sales amid fears by the Turkish Cypriot ‘government’ that its people would be tempted to sell up and move out. But this has not completely stopped foreigners from getting their hands on Turkish title deeds.

“They get around the problem by getting a Turkish Cypriot ‘partner’ to form a company that buys the property”.

Turkish Cypriot properties are currently sold at around two-and-a-half times the cost of an equivalent Greek Cypriot property (in the north), Tamcelik added.

Cyprus Mail 2004

EU Green Line law ready by end of June
By Stefanos Evripidou
(archive article - Saturday, May 22, 2004)

THE European Commission (EC) will its proposals ready by end of June regarding the full implementation of the Green Line Regulation. Head of the EC Representation in Cyprus Adriaan van der Meer said the proposals will focus around two main points: authorising the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce to issue certificates for goods wholly obtained in the north and a decision on manufactured goods.

“Whatever we do, it has to be legal,” he said, referring to the technical and legal preparations for the proposals but also on the economic aid earmarked for the north.

The ambassador stressed that the work could not be done overnight and would take some time to prepare the groundwork. For legal purposes, goods moving between the north and south would be regarded as “intra-island trade” and not exports, he added, even though commercially speaking in legal terms the north is handled as a “third country”.

However, the Commission is concentrating for the moment on goods moving from the north to the government-controlled areas, said Van der Meer. Asked whether the regulation provided for reciprocal trade from the south to the north, he replied, “It is foreseen in the regulation but that is a matter which depends on the view of the authorities (in the north)”.

Regarding Turkish Cypriots holding Cypriot passports, Van der Meer highlighted that they were European citizens now and should have full access to EU education programmes and job opportunities.

“I would like to see various ‘bottlenecks’ removed so that Turkish Cypriots can participate in these programmes,” he said.

Cyprus Mail 2004

Charter flights may soon be landing in the north
By Simon Bahceli
(archive article - Friday, May 21, 2004)

CHARTER flights may start landing at the north’s Tymbou (Ercan) airport in the near future, according to claims made on Wednesday by the Turkish Cypriot EU Information Centre.

The EU Information Centre – a body attached to the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce – told reporters it was likely direct flights to the north would begin in the near future, but only if certain obstacles could be overcome.

The Centre’s spokeswoman Derya Beyatli said the Chamber of Commerce was looking at ways to overcome the legal and political barriers to direct flights to the north and that two possible approaches had been identified.

“The first approach involves the use of charter flights – rather than scheduled flights – between the north and other international airports. The second involves diplomatic channels and capitalises on positive statements made by the international community regarding the relaxing of sanctions on the north in the wake of EU membership,” Beyatli said.

“For scheduled flights to operate between two countries, each county’s Civil Aviation Organisation (CAO) has to give its approval before they can take place. But for charter flights, such permission in not needed.”

Beyatli says such flights had taken place before between Israel and the north and that they happened in exactly this way.

“Even if you have the flights taking place at the same time every day, no one can object, as long as they are not scheduled flights.”

Beyatli says that while Tymbou airport is unrecognised internationally, it has been approved by the ICAO, as far as technical requirements are concerned.

“In order to comply with the Treaty of Chicago, the ICAO must be informed when a new airport goes into operation, and as far as Ercan is concerned, this has was done by Turkey.”

A similar problem exists regarding Turkish Cypriot airspace, which like the airport is unrecognised but controls air-traffic for an average 300 planes per day. Revenue for its services are collected by Brussels-based Eurocontrol and, ironically, handed on to the Republic of Cyprus government.

The second way of overcoming obstacles to direct flights, says Beyatli, is to launch a diplomatic offensive in the EU, UK and US.

“Inroads have already been made in this direction, culminating in British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s very positive comments in Ankara this week that restrictions on direct flights to the north should be relaxed.

“Our view is that if the UK and US can schedule a number of flights, others will follow suit.”

Beyatli adds that even without international formal recognition of Tymbou airport, direct flights could still happen.

“Moldovia declared itself an autonomous republic, and despite the fact that its capital’s airport is not internationally recognised, direct flights take place without objection from the international community. There are even regular flights between there and Larnaca.”

Cyprus Mail 2004

Editorial - Why the Turks need to make bold moves
(archive article - Thursday, May 20, 2004)

MEHMET Ali Talat continues to insist he is not interested in recognition for the breakaway Turkish Cypriot regime and will continue the battle for the reunification of Cyprus.

Fine words, which every Greek Cypriot will welcome. Of course, he will know that in the present climate there is very little chance of reunification, with the government of Tassos Papadopoulos demanding renegotiation of the Annan plan, something that he rejects, as indeed does the international community.

In the meantime, nobody can be surprised that he is milking to the maximum his community’s newfound popularity on the international scene to secure a lifting of the isolation that has strangled the north for the past three decades.

Indeed, many Greek Cypriots could be forgiven for doubting his continued commitment to reunification, now his community is gathering such credit across the world. Recognition may be a long shot, but Taiwan status in the long run is not something to be sneered at. To many, Talat’s recent US road-show will confirm suspicions that Turkey was simply playing high-stakes poker by backing a solution of the Cyprus problem, freeing itself overnight from blame for the impasse on the island while giving up nothing by virtue of the Greek Cypriot ‘no’.

Others would like to believe that the Turkish commitment to a solution is genuine. But if we are to be convinced, and indeed if things are to be jolted from their current stagnation, Turkey needs to play some more bold cards.

First, a simple one. Talat wants more from the European Union: then lift the passport requirement for crossing the Green Line. Brussels is offering the Turkish Cypriots the benefits of accession; they should make a gesture towards freedom of movement in a Europe without borders.

Then there are more concrete gestures that would prove spectacularly Turkey’s commitment to a settlement, thereby addressing Greek Cypriot concerns about Ankara’s intentions. Pull out substantial numbers of troops. What use are they? Does Turkey really fear the Greek Cypriot National Guard? Maintaining vastly over-inflated troop numbers costs money that would be better spent on the community they are there to defend, while casting serious doubts on Ankara’s long-term intentions over Cyprus.

Return Varosha now. Famagusta’s Greek Cypriot suburb is abandoned, so its return would not involve moving any Turkish Cypriots or settlers. Maintaining it behind barbed wire serves no purpose whatsoever other than to exacerbate the bitterness between the communities. Its return would be a spectacular gesture that would allow the return of thousands of Greek Cypriot refugees, further enhancing the Turkish Cypriots’ international credibility, while undermining Greek Cypriot arguments about their bad intentions.

Of course, Turkey has not accustomed us to such gestures, initiatives that generate long-term rather than immediate return. Yet we would like to believe that Turkey has changed. It’s up to Ankara and the authorities in the north to prove it.

Cyprus Mail 2004

EU hosts new Green Line trade talks
By Stefanos Evripidou
(archive article - Thursday, May 20, 2004)

THE representatives of the EU, the government and the Turkish Cypriot community met yesterday for the first time to discuss measures on the implementation of the Green Line Regulation.

The European Commission's Representation in Cyprus held the meeting together with government representatives and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, during which the three assessed the current situation regarding the movement of persons, goods and services across the Green Line and practical problems that were arising.
No decisions were made during the meeting, which was used to sound out any problems and test the ground for further implementation of the regulation.

The European Commission is currently working on two legal instruments to implement further the Green Line Regulation on trade in goods. They intend to authorise the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce to issue the necessary document accompanying goods while also dealing with the circulation of other manufactured goods.

During yesterday’s meeting, the issue of sending goods from the south to the north was also discussed but no decision was reached.

The Commission is expected to submit an overall document on measures to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots and promote direct trade between the EU and the north next month.

Cyprus Mail 2004

Police step up protection for ‘yes’ campaigners
By Staff Reporter
(archive article - Saturday, May 15, 2004)

POLICE are stepping up their protection of politicians who advocated a ‘yes’ vote in the April 24 referendum in the wake of last week’s grenade attack on the home of DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades.

Chief of police Tassos Panayiotou revealed on Thursday that the force had increased security around several politicians, including former presidents Glafcos Clerides and George Vassiliou, former Attorney-general Alecos Markides and United Democrats member Michalis Papapetrou.

All four were outspoken supporters of a ‘yes’ vote in the April 24 referendum, as was Anastassiades.

“Most of the measures had been taken as a precaution prior to the referendum,” the police chief said.

He added that additional measures had been taken outside the DISY chief’s home following the attack.

Panayiotou said a second proclamation from the group claiming responsibility for the attack, found in the Amathus area this week, had been typed on the same computer as one found in a phone booth following the dawn grenade attack on May 5.

There are still no indications that might lead to the arrest of the authors of the proclamations, Panayiotou said.

A tiny quantity of DNA found on the safety lever of the grenade was of no value, he added.

Panayiotou said the investigation continued and several individuals had been questioned up to now but nothing positive had come up yet.

Panayiotou rejected claims that Anastassiades had given police the names of certain individuals he considered suspects for the attack.

“I categorically deny information that Mr Anastassiades gave any name to police to be questioned, of anyone he considered a suspect,” Panayiotou said.

He added the police had questioned certain people, without necessarily meaning that those people were suspects.

Cyprus Mail 2004

Second referendum ‘the only chance of a solution’
By Jean Christou
(archive article - Saturday, May 15, 2004)

U.N. Secretary-general Kofi Annan believes the only way forward on the Cyprus issue is the holding of a second referendum on his reunification plan. but he has ruled out any new negotiations, reports said yesterday.

According to diplomats quoted in both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot press, Annan will make his position very clear in his report to the Security Council before the end of this month.

The report will also address the issue of security, which had been the main bone of contention for the Greek Cypriot side when the plan was rejected in referendum in the south of the island on April 24.

Annan is expected to argue that these concerns would be met by the island’s entry to the EU on May 1, in the sense that no country would attack a member state of the EU, particularly not a country like Turkey that has its own EU aspirations.

It would be stressed in the report that if Turkey took any such action it could forget its dream of joining the bloc.

Annan will also reportedly stress that if his plan is again rejected, the Greek Cypriots can forget about any other solution,

The content of Annan’s report will likely be discussed by Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis in his upcoming visit to the US. Karamanlis is expected to stress that the Cyprus issue is now a European issue and that the problem should be resolved by Europe.
Turkish newspapers have also speculated on the content of Annan’s report, quoting diplomatic sources.

According to Radikal, Annan will call for an end to economic, social and political sanctions imposed on the breakaway Turkish Cypriot regime.

It added that institutes such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and international marine and aviation authorities would be asked to assist in helping end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.

The sources said that following Annan’s report, a new Security Council resolution would be drafted, which could open the door to Turkish Cypriot interaction with the rest of the world, but stop short of official recognition.

In an interview with the newspaper, UN Cyprus envoy Alvaro de Soto said Annan’s report actually stressed the easing of the north’s isolation.

Referring to Greek Cypriot expectations on possible new negotiations and new referenda, De Soto said: "Everything is possible if both sides agree, but the Turks think there is nothing to negotiate since they approved the UN plan,” he added.

A western diplomatic source told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that the international community saw no possibility of a second referendum as long as the Greek Cypriot side insisted on reopening negotiations.

“Nothing would make the international community happier than a clear chance to approve the very reasonable and balanced Annan plan that is on the table. That would make everyone very happy, but we seem to be an extremely long way from that position at the moment,” the source said. “We have to wait and see. It’s very much in Greek Cypriot hands now where to go from here.”

Cyprus Mail 2004

Editorial - Do we have any clue what we’re doing?
(archive article - Friday, May 14, 2004)

SO, the EU forces us to allow the occupied north to trade with the outside world – erasing overnight a 30-year-old policy of economic isolation: that’s fine, we have no problem with it. Brussels insists we should allow tourists to cross the Green Line and spend their holidays in the north. Are we worried? Lord forbid! The facilities are not up to ‘European’ standards over there, the tourists would much rather stay here… (?)
Brussels prepares to hand over a 259 million euro aid package to the Turkish Cypriots. That’s just fine, we smirk: at least we won’t have to pay to raise living standards in the north, as we would have done under the Annan plan. Let the EU foot the bill, together with the foreign investors who are begin to eye the occupied north (an Israeli venture is already moving in on a big tourism development in Kyrenia).

If this were all part of a big strategy by the government, we might be reassured. But there is little indication of such a thing. The only initiative we have taken so far has been to despatch lame presidential envoys around the globe to explain our resounding ‘no’; main presidential backers AKEL, meanwhile, keep saying we need to decide once and for all what we want (surely that should have been decided long ago – and preferably before we engaged in negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem, let alone took any plan to referendum).

It’s hardly reassuring. Embracing the new European policy of openness towards the Turkish Cypriots (of course, we had little choice but to embrace it) only makes sense in the context of a very urgent search for a solution. It would have made sense had we hit the ground running, in a sustained effort to achieve the security guarantees and the tweaks to the Annan plan that would make it acceptable to the Greek Cypriot people.
If, however – as seems to be the case – we just sit back in an effort to maintain the status quo of the past three decades, i.e. mouthing turgid platitudes about our desire for a solution while actually doing very little to achieve it, then we have a big, big problem ahead of us. While such a policy could be maintained at no cost in the 30 years of stagnation and Turkish intransigence, it becomes very dangerous in the current dynamic, with a reformist Turkish government always one (nay, ten) steps ahead of us, playing on several fronts, sweeping aside taboos on Cyprus and pretty much everything else in Turkey.

Those smug at the fact that Europe will pay to raise standards of living in the north should ask themselves one question: how willing will the Turkish Cypriots be to vacate our lands when those lands start gaining some value, when those citrus groves start bringing in cash from abroad, when foreign investors start generating wealth?

This time round, the Turkish Cypriots had little to lose and much to gain by voting ‘yes’ to reunification, while many Greek Cypriots felt they had much to lose and only an uncertain future to gain. If we wait too long, the Turkish Cypriots may start feeling they too have little to gain in a reunited Cyprus.

Cyprus Mail 2004

Hannay: divided island should not have joined EU
By Jean Christou

BRITAIN’S former Cyprus envoy Lord David Hannay has launched a scathing attack on the Greek Cypriot side over the rejection of the Annan plan last month, which was to reunify the island before EU accession on May 1.

According to late reports on Politis website last night Hannay said it was the view among certain circles that the Helsinki decision which disassociated the Cyprus problem from the island’s accession – and essentially led to a divided Cyprus joining – should not have been taken as it took away leverage to pressure the Greek Cypriots.

This he said was done under pressure from Athens, which threatened to use its veto as a member state to block the May 1 enlargement of the bloc.

Politis said Hannay made the comments to the EU Committee at the House of Lords.

Hannay reportedly said the Greek Cypriot ‘no’ in the referendum was “saddening” and served no one, least of all the Greek Cypriots. He said that the comments by President Tassos Papadopoulos against the Annan plan were an all out attack and not points of opinion.

"Certainly the decision was theirs,” he said. However he added that so also would be the consequences of the ‘no’ that would come from the UN, the Secretary-general and the Security Council in a report due out this week.

Hannay said the Greek Cypriots should also now think about how they might achieve their objectives without their help, adding that the Greek Cypriots should not think they can reject the UN plan and continue to have the support of the international community for something that was their own doing. “I believe that this will not happen and it should not it happens,” Hannay was quoted as saying.

Commenting on the Turkish Cypriot ‘yes’ in the referendum, Hannay said that formal recognition was not the answer because that was something that would vindicate the policies of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and would complicate the problem.
Hannay said the only fair route now was one of generous economic support for the Turkish Cypriots.

CYPRUS MAIL 25/05/2004

Who has to show their passport?
By Simon Bahceli

Confusion over north’s lifting of requirements

THE TURKISH Cypriot administration struggled on Sunday to counter accusations of back-peddling after it was seen to retract a directive that would have allowed Greek Cypriots to cross to the north without having to undergo much-hated passport checks.

The controversy began on Friday, when Turkish Cypriot economy and tourism ‘minister’ Ayse Donmezer announced a bill that was interpreted by the media, both north and south of the Green Line, as a lifting of the requirement for Greek Cypriots to show their passports to Turkish Cypriot police before crossing to the north.

The issue has been a bone of contention since checkpoints were opened by the Turkish Cypriot authorities just over a year ago. While Turkish Cypriots are able to travel south using only their identity cards, Greek Cypriots are required to show their passports – a requirement that many Greek Cypriots resent since it infers tacit recognition of the breakaway state.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, appearing on CyBC2’s bilingual programme Biz, said news of the directive had been “misinterpreted” by the media and that while all other EU citizens would be allowed to cross to the north showing only identity cards, Greek Cypriots would be required to show their passports “for the time-being”.

He added, however, that legislation would be implemented in the “near future” that would allow Greek Cypriots living on the island to cross showing only their identity cards.

Donmezer backed Talat’s statement yesterday by saying, “The press got it wrong. I gave them the statement both written and verbally and they chose to interpret it as if we had lifted the passport rule for Greek Cypriots as well. What we are allowing is for Greek Cypriots who carry EU identity cards of countries other than Cyprus to cross without showing their passports. Unfortunately, this does not apply to Greek Cypriots living on the island”.

She added, however, that the authorities in the north were working on legislation that would allow Greek Cypriots living on the island to cross using just their identity cards.

“This will take around 15 days, maybe less,” she said.

Donmezer said also that a new crossing point could be open at the “Lokmaci barricade” that opens to the south at the end of Ledra Street in central Nicosia.

“This could happen in the near future, but first we need the restoration of some of the buildings in the buffer zone, and for this we need finances,” she told the Cyprus Mail.

She added there were no other new crossings currently on the agenda, despite calls from the south to open two new crossings in the west and one in the east of the island.

Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) leader Mustafa Akcini was not impressed by the administration’s performance over the passport issue, saying that he believed the new legislation was retracted due to pressure from those in the “status quo”.

“It is a reminder that the status quo is still there,” he said, adding: “While expecting the correction of one disgrace, we are faced with another. Even before the ink had dried on the directive, someone forced the retraction”.

Akinci laid further criticism on Talat’s leadership saying: “While the government says it defends the norms espoused by the EU, it has acted in direct contravention to those norms by discriminating against Greek Cypriots who are also EU citizens”.

Serdar Denktash, Talat’s coalition partner, attempted to clarify the directive saying that it was, “aimed at making it easier for groups of tourists to travel to the north,” adding that until new arrangements had been made, the existing requirements will remain in place for Greek Cypriots crossing to the north”.

Cyprus Mail 25/05/2004

Massive expropriation of Turkish Cypriot properties’
By Stefanos Evripidou

THE GOVERNMENT owes over £100 million for Turkish Cypriot land expropriated since 1975 to house refugees or develop property in the public interest.

According to yesterday’s Politis, over the years various governments have failed to provide full compensation for expropriated Turkish Cypriot land, running up a debt over £100 million. Compensation equalling the value of the land is meant to be deposited in the fund of the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot properties, who holds it in the name of the Turkish Cypriot owners.

The paper reported that the Land Registry was currently studying the extent to which compensation had not been paid into the fund and the full value of the land expropriated.
Under current legislation, Turkish Cypriots who left Cyprus before 1974 can appropriate their properties in the free areas, but for the remainder of Turkish Cypriots who no longer have access to their land in the south, the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot properties was set up to administer the land until a solution to the Cyprus problem was found and occupation ended. This job is filled by the Interior Minister.

According to the report, the government has been expropriating Turkish Cypriot property since 1975 and using it for building refugee estates, school buildings or cemeteries.

Some of the expropriated land has been paid into the Guardian fund but in most cases, no compensation has been paid, creating a huge backlog of debt.

In some cases, land was not even officially expropriated or if it was, the compensation was not deposited in the Guardian’s fund. Now, this deficit is reported to run into the £100m mark, a sum which eventually will have to be paid from the public coffers, although it is not clear when and how.

Interior Minister Andreas Christou told Politis that expropriations of Turkish Cypriot properties in the free areas stopped from the moment he took office in April 2003. Apart from work that had already started, no building on Turkish Cypriot land was allowed after April. He added that the percentage of Turkish Cypriot land expropriated in the public interest was proportionate to the total land ownership of Turkish Cypriots.

In other words, if Turkish Cypriots own 12-13 per cent of the land in Cyprus, then a maximum of 12-13 per cent of total land expropriated would belong to Turkish Cypriots.

The head of the Land Registry, Andreas Christodoulou was unavailable for comment yesterday.

CYPRUS MAIL 28/05/2004

North applies to FIFA for friendlies
By Simon Bahceli

THE TURKISH Cypriot Football Federation yesterday applied to FIFA for a lifting of the ban on friendly matches imposed on Turkish Cypriot teams in 1983 when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash declared the north an independent state.

“We have made a number of applications over the years, but because of non-recognition none have been successful,” Federation chairman Omer Adal told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.

Adal believes that the new political climate stemming from the Turkish Cypriot backing of the Annan plan in the referendum last month, chances of a positive response is greater than ever before.

“It became clear after the referendum that it was no longer the Turkish Cypriots who were blocking a settlement of the Cyprus problem. Therefore on May 1 we applied again”.

Adal is adamant the Federation are not looking for full recognition and say they will not seek it until a settlement has been secured with the Greek Cypriot south.

“Asking for full recognition would be futile and counter productive. Therefore, all we are seeking is a reinstatement of the ‘special permission’ we had from FIFA between 1975 and 1983”.

Adal says if FIFA allow Turkish Cypriot teams to play friendly matches they will be able to improve their playing skills to be ready for national and international matches if and when a solution is forthcoming.

Adal is hopeful of a positive reaction from FIFA.

“We met officials from FIFA in Paris and got a very warm reception. What we hope is that when they meet in October this year our ‘special permission’ will be reinstated”.

Adal says he has informed the [Greek] Cypriot Football Federation and has requested that they do not oppose the north’s application.

“We have made it very clear to them we are not seeking recognition of a northern state, so we are counting on their backing of our application. If they do, we could get a positive response from FIFA before the October meeting”.

Cyprus Mail 28/052004

De Soto hints at second chance
By Jean Christou

UN special envoy Alvaro de Soto has not ruled out a new referendum or another Cyprus “solution”, reports from Thessalonica said yesterday.

De Soto who traveled to Greece and Turkey to deliver lectures during the week, gave a press conference in the Greek port where he said that the UN hoped that the Greek Cypriot side would re-examine their position on the Annan plam.

More than 75 per cent of Greek Cypriots voted on April 24 to reject the UN’s reunification plan and the international community said there could be no further negotiations on the blueprint.

However, according to reports, De Soto did not exclude a second referendum or the possibility of continued efforts to solve the Cyprus problem. De Soto said that UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan would be submitting his report on the failed Cyprus process to the Security Council this week.

He said the report was “fair, objective and analytic”. Sources told the Athens News Agency (ANA) that the report, drawn up by De Soto and already on Annan’s desk, was very descriptive of the positions of the two sides and of Greece and Turkey during the negotiations and referenda.

“The De Soto report appears to contain some criticism of the Greek Cypriot side, particularly of Cyprus president Tassos Papadopoulos, and to a lesser degree of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash,” the sources said.


De Soto told reporters that the UN respected the decision of the Greek Cypriots about the plan “even if they didn’t understand it”, and expressed the hope that in time the Greek Cypriot side would change its position and decide what they really wanted for the future of the island..

He said the Turkish Cypriots had voted ‘yes’ in the referendum, which meant a ‘no’ to partition.

He said the UN had not been expecting a negative answer from Papadopoulos, who on his return from the final leg of negotiations in Switzerland in March called for a resounding ‘no’ to the Annan during an emotional televised speech on April 7. De Soto said they had expected Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to call for rejection of the plan as his position had been known openly for some time.

“But up until April 7, we believed that Mr Papadopoulos would agree,” said De Soto adding that the UN did not agree with Papadopoulos’s views on the plan and did not support his position.
De Soto said that although he is disappointed at the outcome of the negotiations process he did not believe it was entirely a waste of time because the two sides had worked intensively together to draw up the laws of the new state. “This was a step towards breaking the ice,” he said.
Papadopoulos is due to meet Annan on Thursday in New York before the report goes to the Security Council.

Diplomatic circles consider the meeting to be important because Annan is waiting to hear what the Greek Cypriot side is proposing as a means of moving towards resolving the Cyprus issue.

Sources told ANA that there was also a possibility that any ‘tough talk’ about Papadopoulos and the Greek Cypriot stance might be “watered down”

“Several of the UN Security Council permanent members have made it clear that they expected the UN chief to submit an ‘objective’ and ‘balanced’ report, without the expression of any personal bitterness, so as to leave margins for the efforts to continue, in due course, aimed at reunification of the island,” ANA said.

Other reports yesterday suggest that the new UN resolution on Cyprus will ask for the complete demilitarisation of the island, guarantees from the Council on the safety and territorial integrity of a United Cyprus Republic and a guarantee for the Annan plan.

Cyprus Mail 30/05/2004