PM Soyer explains property issue developments
Yeniduzen Newspaper
August 24, 2005
The following is an interview with Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer published by Yeniduzen newspaper.
Question: What are the developments over the property issue which is one of the most important aspects of the Cyprus question?
Soyer: First of all it should be expressed that property issue is part of a comprehensive solution. It is an element that should be taken up as part of the solution of Cyprus problem. In North Cyprus, there is an injustice the issue has generated among the Turkish Cypriot people. I would like to express this injustice with these striking figures. At the moment people
have 4.5 billion equal-value points. But the amount of resource that we can allocate is 250 million points. This is a striking example that demonstrates the injustice and the accumulation of problems throughout the years. We are also trying to produce an idea for this. On the other hand, a property regime has been constituted in North Cyprus. For sure this property regime is under the guaranty of our domestic legal system. But we are trying to shape it in a manner capable to taking up comprehensive solution.
Question: How can the property regime of North Cyprus be brought into harmony with international law?
Soyer: As I have said, this is a problem that can largely be solved as part of a comprehensive solution. A comprehensive solution is the solution of the Cyprus problem. Therefore it is an element that can be taken up within this. At this point, there is a reality we are facing. This reality is, after the loss of Copenhagen and Hague and the unilateral accession of South Cyprus into EU, whose dominatory policies are using all elements to avoid bi-zonal and bi-communal with political and legal tools. One pillar of this is the property issue. The point they are depending on is trying to further the precedence created by the Loizidiu case. By this means they are trying to follow a political line that would eliminate bi-zonality, bi communality and a political solution factor in the property issue. But I believe that this is a very difficult issue and their chance of success is weak.
The Loizidiu case was lost because the governments of the time did not put up a decent defense and lacked proper political vision concerning the Cyprus question. Now there is case called Aresti. They are basing their claim using the Loizidiu case as having established a precedent. Because of this, further cases will require a great legal struggle. The aim here is to shake the bi-zonality of Turkish Cypriot people. They are trying to achieve their goal by pressuring Turkey over this issue. To this end, there is a legal process that envisages the Loizidiu case to be precedent for the Aresti case. Because of this, we believe that this legal point needs to be confronted. Because of this, this case cannot be approached with arguments that were defeated at Loizidiu case.
To this end, we have our own legal preparations. An interview with Tufan Erhurman was published at Yeniduzen. I quite liked it. In that interview, Mr. Tufan was stressing that not only the government but the opposition too should be seeking alternative ways. He wants the opposition to approach the issue in scientific ways, and he is right. But the opposition who are the lords of non-solution and the barons of the property injustice instead of self-criticism, they are trying to prevent the measures we are trying to take in our legal struggle over the property issue. They are making up rumors alleging that title deeds will be abolished.
Question: Will the government uphold the title deeds it has given?
Soyer: Of course! Of course! The issue is bi-zonality. How can a political movement that runs after such a solution and believe in such a solution wholeheartedly and received from the people 45% of the votes, can act otherwise?
Learn more about different property title deeds in Northern Cyprus
Question: What do you think the opposition is trying to do?
Soyer: I think by trying to sustain their non-solution line, they are aiming to have Turkey sentenced in particular. They are calculating that if Turkey is sentenced, she will walk away from EU the process, a radical political line will prevail in Turkey, and Cyprus will walk away too from the solution dynamic. They are calculating to be sultans of the Turkish Cypriot people,
isolated and back to status quo, by chauvinist policies and with lies and pressures. This is their calculation.
Question: What are the origins of the debates over the 159th article of the constitution. (Note: 159th article regulates the nationalization of “deserted/un-vacated Greek Cypriot properties” in North Cyprus in the aftermath of 1974.)
Soyer: A closed session was held at the parliament, where Talat informed MPs about the Cyprus issue and explained the situation over the property difficultues that we are facing. This was immediately announced by these circles (opposition) that the 159th article and title deeds are to be abolished. I speak very openly. The 159th article of the constitution about
nationalization, because based on “race” cannot be accepted by ECHR. The Greek Cypriot side by using this has gained ground by developing great arguments. Therefore we want to take this nationalization away from “race” and subject it to the rehabilitation of refugees and people. And to compensate property owners with compensations and other methods and to link the issue to the solution of Cyprus problem and to the requirements of the solution
agreement. Therefore the point we are trying to raise is that the changes would strengthen our already powerful weapons aiming to win Aresti and similar lawsuits. What demonstrates that we on the right path is the fact that the moment there was a total power change in North Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot side started to send one after another lawsuits against us. Like in
1994. When CTP was in power in 1994, the South stopped supplying electricity that it has given for 20 years for free to UBP governments.
Either for Mr. Denktash or for UBP, there was no South. As if we had no property, ancestral lands, historical monuments, cemeteries. No contact point was created for people’s villages and properties. Those who thought about them were accused. Greek Cypriot dominant powers were saying, “Do not forget Girne, do not forget Lefkonuk, Karpaz.” For 30 years Denktash and UBP acted as if there is no South and we had nothing there. This gave the
opportunity to the Greek Cypriot administration to arbitrarily nationalize our properties, to destroy them, to make constructions over them and to bring their value to nothing. After the comprehensive power change in North Cyprus a new sensitivity and consciousness has developed. This alarmed the Greek Cypriot side because a great looting was done to the properties of thousands of our people.
I cannot talk about the closed session. But I have just told you about the changes we need in the 159th article. UBP has to talk too. Those who claim to love this country and to be sensitive about bi-zonality should talk.
Question: Why do you think UBP is silent?
Soyer: What they are doing is demagogy. This is a petty calculation that aims to weaken us, which is marching towards comprehensive solution. |
