BY FIKRET BILA
MILLIYET- This week Turkey paid 1.12 million euros as compensation to Titina Loizidou, a Greek Cypriot citizen. Thus, the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) verdict was carried through. When Ankara agreed to pay the compensation, it got a promise from the European Council’s Secretariat General that this trial wouldn’t set a precedent. This promise was recorded, and some people consider this record a victory for Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). But the same atmosphere of victory can be seen in Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration. The Greek Cypriots consider the result a win for themselves.
Normally it’s unusual for both sides to claim victory. Of course time will tell who is really the victor. However, considering the situation for Turkey and the TRNC, our early declaration of victory might not be justified. In other words, it’s the European Council’s Secretariat General which accepted that this trial wouldn’t establish a precedent and this institution is an executive body, which means its decisions don’t bind the judiciary. It’s the court which makes the decision. One day the ECHR might say that the secretariat’s administrative decision doesn’t bind us and might consider the decision a precedent.
In addition, the Loizidu case is based on the idea that Turkey is an invader on Cyprus. Turkey is now in a situation through paying compensation of having accepted the accusation of ‘invader.’ At least Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration would interpret the situation this way. It’s not difficult to guess that the European Union would agree with this interpretation. However, Turkey’s military presence there during the Cyprus Peace Operation is based on international agreements. It intervened through its role as guarantor state. Turkey and the TRNC shouldn’t give up their efforts to find political solutions to the problem.