PRESIDENT TALAT: “GREEK
CYPRIOT SIDE IS TRYING TO PREVENT ITS PEOPLE FROM APPLYING TO THE
COMMISSION”
President Mehmet Ali Talat
speaking to Anatolian News Agency (AA) stated that the Greek Cypriot
administration was resorting to threats, pressure and isolating
methods to discourage its citizens from applying to the Immovable
Property Commission in the TRNC.
Explaining that the Immovable
Property Commission was established with the aim of creating “a
domestic remedy” for the property issue, President Talat said that
this commission has been recognized as such by the European Court of
Human Rights (ECHR), adding that the Greek Cypriot administration was
still pursuing a campaign reminiscent of the inquisition era.
President Talat called upon Greek
Cypriots, who want to settle the property issue as soon as possible,
to apply to the Immovable Property Commission and said the Commission
was taking faster and more effective decisions than the ECHR.
Drawing attention to the
contradicting behavior of the Greek Cypriot side, President Talat said
the Greek Cypriot administration was on one hand encouraging its
people to apply to the ECHR by saying that the property right was a
human right, but on the other hand was proclaiming its people, who
applied to the Immovable Property Commission in the TRNC, traitors.
Talat stressing that if a
comprehensive settlement had been reached in Cyprus, this issue would
not have been discussed today, reminded that Greek Cypriot leader
Tassos Papadopoulos by calling upon its people to say a “strong no” in
24 April 2004 referendum, had not only prevented the solution of the
property issue but also the solution of the Cyprus problem.
President Talat pointed out that
the Greek Cypriots, who had previously applied to the ECHR, also
applied to the Immovable Property Commission and this was confirming
the rightfulness of the Turkish Cypriot side’s approach to the
property issue.