THE GOVERNMENT yesterday called on the Turkish side to reconsider its stance with regard to last week’s European Court judgment, which found Turkey guilty of gross human rights violations in Cyprus.
Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou told his daily briefing that the government also expected the UN and other interested parties in the Cyprus question to act in line with the ruling.
“I would like to express the government’s regret at the position taken by (Turkish Cypriot leader) Rauf Denktash and Ankara with regard to the Court ruling, which offers the island’s two communities the chance to deal with the Cyprus problem on the basis of international law and order and the rule of law,” Papapetrou said.
Denktash said the decision gave him a very good reason not to attend any more peace talks for a settlement, claiming it had left nothing to be negotiated. Turkey has described the ruling as “wrong”.
Denktash withdrew from the UN-led proximity talks last November, demanding recognition of his breakaway regime.
“Turkey’s reaction indicates that it is angry with the decision, which I believe is the wrong approach, and I call on Ankara and Denktash to reconsider,” Papapetrou said.
He said that the sooner Turkey realised that its stance was leading nowhere, the better it could serve the interests of the Turkish Cypriots.
Commenting on what the government expected of the UN and others as far as a comprehensive settlement was concerned, Papapetrou said: “It is our long standing demand that the UN have to be in line with the decision.” He conceded, however, that in general the UN had not stepped out of line with respect to the letter and the spirit of resolutions it had adopted for a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
“The Court decision strengthens our negotiating position for a solution that would respect human rights and international law, elements included in a statement by the UN Secretary General last November,” the spokesman said.
Commenting on Turkey’s refusal to comply with a previous Court judgment in the case of refugee Titina Loizidou, Papapetrou said court decisions by themselves would not solve the Cyprus problem, but did consolidate the political effort for a settlement.
He said Turkey would have to understand that it couldn’t continue to pursue its European aspirations and ignore European Court rulings.
“Sooner or later the noose around Turkey will become tighter,” he said.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
