LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Thursday that the Council of Europe (COE) had taken a political decision about Loizidou case, adding, ''they have ignored the developments following the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). They have been trying to force Turkey to make concessions from Cyprus.''
When recalled that the COE had asked Turkey to pay a compensation of 900 thousand U.S. dollars to Greek Cypriot woman Titiana Loizidou till November 19, 2003, President Denktas said, ''it is clear that the COE has ignored the developments following the decision of the ECHR. After the decision of the ECHR, some significant developments have occurred in the island. We expected the COE to take into consideration these developments as taking a decision about the Loizidou case. This lady, who was granted to take this compensation due to her complaints that she could not go to her home, said that she would not go to the home as long as the occupation continued. She has proved that it was not a matter of returning to home, but a political attack. And, European authorities, unfortunately, did not take it into consideration.''
Recalling that the TRNC had formed a commission and enabled Greek Cypriots to apply to the Turkish Cypriot side, President Denktas said, ''despite all these developments, Greek Cypriot administrations' threats have prevented Greek Cypriot people from applying to Turkish Cypriot officials.''
Stressing that loss of Turkish Cypriot people in Cyprus had never been taken into consideration, President Denktas said, ''many Turkish Cypriot villages were ruined, and the Greek Cypriot administration expropriated properties of Turkish Cypriot people. The Greek Cypriot administration said that compensations for the expropriated properties would be paid after the sides reached an agreement. It means that Turkish Cypriot people would be paid their compensations after an agreement, but Greek Cypriot people would be paid their compensations right now. This is nothing but a double-standard.''
Noting that Loizidou wanted to proceed to TRNC by violating the buffer zone, President Denktas said, ''later, she filed a lawsuit against Turkey. During the trial process, existence of TRNC and our view that the Greek Cypriot administration was illegal were not taken into consideration. TRNC administration was recognized as an administration bound to Turkey. And, Turkey was kept responsible for the administration. Turkey's good-will approach for finding a solution to problems of compensation in Cyprus was also ignored. Briefly, Europe turned a blind eye to the facts in Cyprus and expended efforts to accuse Turkey. They have been taken decisions one after the other to put Turkey into a difficult position and force it to make concessions from the Cyprus question. Our people should show their existence against all these efforts.''
Yesterday, the delegates committee of the COE, which convened at the level of ambassadors, asked Turkey to pay a compensation to Greek Cypriot woman Loizidou till November 19 at the latest as a requirement of the decision of the ECHR.
(UK) 13.11.2003