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Ankara:No plans to give Cyprus proposals to EU leaders in writing

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tan also ruled out preparations to give Turkey's earlier proposal to open a port and an airport to the Greek Cypriots in official and written form to the EU leaders to be discussed during the two-day summit set to begin today.

Tan made the remarks in light of news reports claiming that if Turkey gives its proposal in written form to be discussed during today's EU leaders' summit, it could be discussed.

Ankara stated on Tuesday that it doesn't expect a new development or decision from the EU leaders summit, explaining that the final decision was given by the EU foreign ministers during their meeting on Monday.

The European Council decided on Monday to freeze the opening of 8 eight out of 35 chapters of negotiations with Turkey and also decided that none of the negotiating chapters will be closed until Turkey implements the Ankara Protocol that paves the way for the opening of Turkish ports and harbors to the Greek Cypriots.

Turkey, in line with its wait-and-see approach, is now awaiting the EU to send letters to Ankara for opening seven or eight chapters (whether they were benchmarked or not) to continue the screening process. While Turkey expects the opening of chapters on economic and monetary policy, financial control and enterprise and industrial policy soon, it thinks that no new chapter will be opened during Finland's EU term presidency, which ends on Dec. 31.

Foreign Ministry welcomes ECHR ruling

Ankara expressed yesterday its appreciation for the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the Xenides-Arestis case, stressing that with the decision the ECHR acknowledged that the Turkish Cypriot Immovable Property Commission has a legal domestic basis.

"The ECHR stated in its ruling that the Turkish Cypriot Immovable Property Commission, which was established in 2005, met expectations, and acknowledged that the commission has a domestic legal basis," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Namik Tan said on Wednesday, stressing that the decision also means that decisions taken by the commission will be recognized by the ECHR and the EU.

The ECHR last Thursday unanimously awarded a Greek Cypriot 800,000 euros in monetary damages for being prevented from living in her home and having access to, using and enjoying her property in Northern Cyprus, giving authority to a Turkish Cypriot property commission for future cases.

"The new compensation and restitution mechanism, in principle, had taken care of the requirements of the decision of the court on admissibility of March 14, 2005 and its judgment of Dec. 22, 2005,'' the ECHR said, referring to the Immovable Property Commission set up in 2005 by the TRNC ''to examine applications under the law and decide on the restitution, exchange of properties or payment of compensation.'' The ruling of the ECHR is significant since it also blocks the Greek Cypriots from carrying their cases to the ECHR in the future. The court also awarded Myra Xenides-Arestis 50,000 euros in non-pecuniary damage and 35,000 euros for costs and expenses.


ABHaber 14.12.2006