A general discussion was held yesterday (13/06/05) at the plenary session of the TRNC Parliament about the property cases opened by the Greek Cypriots. President Talat who addressed the session made a speech, informing MP’s about the property cases and the latest point raeched about them.

Pointing out the importance of the cases, President Talat, stated that the issue is multi-dimensional and complex. For instance, he said, while the discussions of whether conditional apperance before the Greek Cypriot courts is necessary or not, conditional apperances took place with the idea that it is better to do so.

Reminding the jurisdiction in the Louizidou case, President Talat stressed that utmost effort has to be spent in order to prevent such new cases against the Turkish Cypriots and expressed that a decision has been taken noting that Turkey is responsible for North Cyprus during the property cases in the ECHR.

Stating the significance of the ongoing case which brought up against a British couple who bought a land in the TRNC and constructed a house in it, President Talat said the Greek Cypriots wanted the conveniences of the decision in this case in England, also.

President Talat who also spoke about the arrest warrants said that, the Greek Cypriots could not issue European arrest warrants but that they are trying to obtain Interpol arrest warrants. President Talat declared that all the cases and arrest decisions despite the ones which fall in the scope of ECHR, will not further proceed.

Stating that the legal claims about the ‘violation of property cases’ brought up before the courts by the Greek Cypriots fall within the framework of legal cases in Europe and that the two years punishment decisions which will be taken by the Greek Cypriots cannot be implemented in Europe, President Talat emphasized that, like themselves, the Greek Cypriots are also aware of this fact, however their aim is to frighten the people and influence the world.

President Talat mentioned that the Turkish Cypriots are about to take action seek for their rights and that there are cases on the agenda, added that the situation in the Greek Cypriot side is worse than the Turkish Cypriot side.

According to President Talat, the weaknesses of the Turkish Cypriot side are not worse than the Greek Cypriot side and if any acts by the Greek Cypriots are confronted by the Turkish Cypriot side, no problems shall be faced during the cases. Thus he said, politicians and the press should act consciously about the property cases.

Underlining the necessity to do everything for the postponement and/or withdrawal of the cases in the ECHR, President Talat stated he believes, if this happens, Papadopoulos will return to the negotiation table.

Pointing that Papadopoulos is powerful in terms of law but not in terms of politics, President Talat said the law is determined by the politics and added that he believes political strength by the Turkish Cypriots in the Cyprus issue will be fruitful.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus gave a memorandum to the Russian Federation as it cancelled a presentation reception on TRNC tourism in St.Petersburg which was planned to take place the previous day as a result of Greek Cypriot objections.

The so-called presentation reception was planned to take place at the Grand Europe Hotel in St.Petersburg under the leadership of "Fellahoglu Tourism" and "Aura Tourism", within the framework of efforts to bring tourists from Russia which the Ministry of Economy and Tourism as well as many institution and association give their support. However, the reception was prevented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on 9 June 2005 due to Greek Cypriot objections.

Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested yesterday (13 June 2005) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation for preventing the presentation reception by putting pressure on the Grand Europe Hotel as its working permission would be cancelled "because they had done an illegal act", with a memorandum given to the Russian Embassy in South Cyprus through an officer of the UN Peace Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

In his statement made to the TAK reporter after delivering the memorandum to the UN officer, who was requested to arrive to the Ministry yesterday afternoon, Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Special Advisor on Political Affairs Kudret Akay said, through the memorandum that they gave, they informed Russian Federation that their behaviour did not contribute to reconciliation in the island.

In the memorandum, it was stated that it is strongly disappointing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation and other relevant authorities of the Russian Federation chose to take preventive measures regarding the promotion of North Cyprus as a holiday destination in St.Petersburg.

It was underlined in the memorandum that "it is true that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not politically recognized by the UN member states, it is equally true, however, that there are no UN resolutions or decisions denying the existence of North Cyprus or the fact that there exist two equal peoples on the island living in their respective territories and neither of which represents the other. On the contrary, the UN position has always been one of acknowledgement of the foregoing realities". The memorandum continues as follow:

"Consequently, suggesting that North Cyprus as a territory is an unrecognized destination is tantamount to denying the foregoing UN position regarding the realities on the ground in the island of Cyprus.

Reminding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation was previously reported to have issued a statement calling upon Russian citizens to refrain traveling to North Cyprus, the following was said in the memorandum: