Scandalous British duplicity over Cyprus

The headline for this story has been created out of a combination of the following quote from Britain's Europe Minister Chris Bryant MP, speaking about the Cyprus problem during the Keith Kyle Memorial lecture organised by the Association for Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs on 25th February 2010 (video embedded above)

"Its a shock, its a scandal, its a tragedy that within the European Union we have a divided capital city, that we have a divided island."

... and the story in the Guardian on 3rd March 2010, "The scandalous history of Cyprus" by Robert Ellis, who is a regular commentator on Turkish affairs in Denmark and who had during 2005-2008 been a frequent contributor to the Turkish Daily News - in which he refers to the comments by Britain's Europe Minister as part of his introduction, and then provides a brief history of the Cyprus problem before reporting on what I have called 'duplicity' in the following section ...

"Three weeks ago the European parliament passed a resolution on Turkey, calling on Turkey to immediately start withdrawing its troops from Cyprus, address the issue of Turkish settlers on the island and enable the return of the sealed-off section of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants. The Turkish response was predictable. Prime Minister Erdogan called the resolution 'baseless and unacceptable' and his chief EU negotiator, Egemen Bagis, said Turkey shouldn't take it seriously

"However, Britain sits on the horns of a dilemma. On the one hand, it is committed to support the US's strategic objective of Turkey's EU membership. But on the other hand, it cannot ignore the continued occupation of 37% of an EU member state.

"At the EU general affairs council meeting in Brussels in December, Britain tried to dodge the issue, supporting the Swedish proposal to reduce the Cyprus question to the level of the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia. When this failed, it issued a counter declaration a fortnight later, stating that it was in the EU's strategic interest not to let 'bilateral issues' hold up the accession process."

Read more of Robert Ellis' Guardian story here.

Given that kind of duplicity it is not surprising that UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband rarely makes any public statements about Cyprus, preferring instead to delegate that horn of Britain's Cyprus dilemma, as well as replying to any Commons questions, to his subordinate Minister for Europe.

They are no doubt both also aware of the resolutions passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at its October 2008 debate about Cyprus.


After the Bryant talk there was chatter among some of the Cypriots - who had trekked to Portcullis House to hear the Europe Minister telling them about the need for Cypriots to take a lesson on 'how to let go' of their entrenched positions from his Indonesian monkey story about how those monkeys are trapped when they place their arms into a gourd containing nuts, and having clutched the hand tight around the nuts, can no longer withdraw their arm from the gourd and are therefore trapped - about how Chris Bryant had said that Britain would not stand in the way if the Cypriot leaders agreed on abolition of Turkey's and Britain's guarantor status over that sovereign nation's affairs.

His audience waited with baited breath to see whether the British MP would make any reference to the European Parliament's resolution requiring Turkey to begin now (February 2010) to withdraw its troops and settlers from the island as a sign of its good faith towards the negotiations, and give up control over the city of Famagusta as required by UN resolutions, but of course he didn't. His audience almost blushed for him when he talked instead about the one and only confidence building measure which has to all intents and purposes already been agreed and is already funded - the opening of the Limnitis checkpoint!

The videos embedded above provide a glimpse into how 30 minutes can be filled with being ever-so-balanced, in not being anti-Turk or anti-Greek but being 'pro-solution'. Having the gift of the gab is, after all an important requirement in the man's job.


Chris Bryant MP could also not have read the analysis "EU, Turkey on collision course" also by Robert Ellis, because that also did not appear until days after Bryant's talk - but one is certain he will be familiar with its content and that he will also be familiar with the famous quote with which Ellis closes his article in ekathimerini.com

"At the Geneva Conference in 1974, British Foreign Secretary James Callaghan warned: 'Today the Republic of Cyprus is the prisoner of the Turkish army: Tomorrow the Turkish army will find itself the prisoner of the Republic of Cyprus.' With the benefit of hindsight, Jim was right."

As Turkey goes through a period of as near civil-war as one might expect without the outbreak of actual hostilities in the fight between Erdogan's AKP government and the Generals of the Deep State - one is hardly ever reminded by the Turkish press, or British Ministers, that the beginnings of the Ergenekon and Sledgehammer gangs can be traced to Turkish-occupied Cyprus and the military's reactions to Erdogan's being prepared to consider a Cyprus settlement during the Kofi Anan period.

We will never know whether, had the Greek Cypriots voted in favour of that very British-inspired 'International Relations Debacle: The UN Secretary-General's Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus 1999-2004' - whether if the Greek Cypriots had actually voted yes ... if the Erdogan government would have survived.

As pointed out in "Commentary - on the EUs Andrew Duff about Turkeys Ergenekon investigation" on this weblog in October 2009, the answer is clear to those British insiders who do know what is actually going on.

The Cyprus Referendum - Citizen Perceptions

30 October 2009 (see the full 102 minute video of the event embedded below)

The Cyprus Referendum - Citizen perceptions
and the role of the leadership in the uphill path towards a solution

A talk by Chrysostomos Pericleous, author of the 2009 book 'The Cyprus Referendum' : A Divided Island and the Challenge of the Annan Plan' (London: IB Tauris, 2009)

Chairman: Dr Othon Anastasakis
Director of South East European Studies, St Anthony’s College, Oxford



Abstract

The incompatible envisioning of the future of Cyprus by Greek and Turkish Cypriots throughout the 20th century has been the main cause of the protracted Cyprus crisis. The shift of Turkish Cypriots towards Cypriotism and their approach to a common vision during their uprising against the Denktas regime in 2000-2003 had been a turning point, the message of which the Greek Cypriots failed to take on board, as they also failed to decode the unprecedented convergence of events on the “grand chessboard” which created a unique solution timing. Their perception of the Cyprus problem, along with the confusion caused by petty party politics and inadequate conservative leaderships, prevented them from rationally analyzing and politically appreciating the new perspectives opened before them by the solution prospect within the promising European framework. However, the downfall of Papadopoulos in 2008 bore evidence of a rethinking and soul searching internal process within the Greek Cypriot community. It was this re-orientation that brought Christofias to power and it is with this backing that he has reinvigorated the negotiation process in search of a solution.


Details:

'The Cyprus Referendum' by Chrysostomos Pericleous

The Cyprus referendum of 2004 was a definitive moment in the recent history of Cyprus. The island’s future hung in the balance – specifically the fate of the controversial Annan Plan, which proposed the creation of a single United Cyprus Republic with two constituent states. Accepted by the Turkish side but rejected by Greek Cypriots, the Plan was not implemented. In this balanced account of a highly charged period, Chrysostomos Pericleous offers an exhaustive treatment of the events that culminated in the referendum and through his comparative study, explains the positions ultimately taken by Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

'The Cyprus Referendum' presents the definitive account of the course of action taken by President Tassos Papadopoulos and his ruling coalition which ultimately led to the resounding ‘No’ vote on the Annan Plan by the Greek Cypriots at the referendum. Pericleous places the events on the island within a wider global context, focusing especially on the re-orientation of US foreign policy in the Greece-Turkey-Cyprus triangle. Drawing together all the evidence, the author explores the consequences for the island and whether the rejection of the referendum will lead to a period of decline for Cyprus unless a dramatic change occurs in Greek Cypriot politics.

An important contribution to the study of Cypriot politics, 'The Cyprus Referendum' provides readers with a deeper insight into the broader political framework within which the UN peace initiative in Cyprus has developed. It is a meticulous study of a critical moment in Cypriot history and the depth of its research makes the book invaluable for anyone interested in the island – past, present and future.

Chrysostomos Pericleous is a freelance writer and journalist with first hand experience in the politics of Cyprus. Educated in London and Exeter as well as Cyprus, he has published a number of articles and essays as well as two books, The Cyprus Problem and a collection of poetry.


Praise for 'The Cyprus Referendum'

“Pericleous has researched the international events leading to the April 2004 referendum with enormous care and diligence, covering almost everything published in Greek and English and this is an important and original scholarly contribution.” – Michalis Attalides, Rector of the University of Nicosia, Cyprus.

“I fully endorse his critical approach and scientific documentation, his deep political and historical insight, the integrity of his judgment and evaluations, and the high academic standards he has achieved. It is a lively and cohesive narrative … and the ability of the author to grasp the drama in which leaders, social actors, and the people of Cyprus as a whole are entangled, makes it a book for a much wider readership.” – George Papadimitriou, Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Athens.

“Pericleous presents a comparative study on the Cyprus Conflict and contributes substantially to a better understanding of the recent political history of Cyprus… I firmly believe that this book will fulfil the gap on the recent political developments in and around Cyprus.” – Niyazi Kizilyurek, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Turkish and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cyprus.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR CYPRIOT, GREEK & TURKISH AFFAIRS

Dr Zenon Stavrinides
General Secretary, Association for Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs
8 Ganners Mount, Leeds LS13 2PE, Great Britain
Tel: 0113 256 8907 Mobile: 07790 107353

Email: Z.Stavrinides@lineone.net

Visit the ACGTA website at
http://website.lineone.net/~acgta
and
http://www.acgta.org

---

See past events by the ACGTA which were videotaped and are available for viewing online:

The Apostolides vs Orams Case: An Update
J116, Cowdray House
London School of Economics
6.30pm, 25 March 2009
Speaker: Constantis Candounas
Chair: Alper Ali Riza QC
***(Watch Online)***
http://www.archive.org/details/ConstantisCandounasApostolidesvOrams-UpdateandJudgement

Cyprus Settlement: Who Benefits?
The 2nd Keith Kyle Memorial Lecture
London School of Economics
Speaker: Caroline Flint, MP
Minister for Europe
Chair: Dr James Ker-Lindsay, LSE
25 February 2009
***(Watch Online)***
http://www.archive.org/details/CarolineFlintMPCyprusSettlement-WhoBenefits

Cyprus: Progress so Far
Canada Blanch Room (J116)
London School of Economics
6 February 2009
Speaker: Mr Andrew Dismore MP
***(Watch Online)***
http://www.acgta.org/events-2009-Dismore.htm

America, Britain and the Cyprus Crisis of 1974: Calculated Conspiracy or Foreign Policy Failure?
Canada Blanch Room (J116), First Floor, Cowdray House
London School of Economics
21 November 2008
Speaker: Dr Andreas Constandinos
Chair: Dr James Ker-Lindsay, LSE
***(Watch Online)***
http://www.archive.org/details/AndreasConstandinosAmericaBritainCyprusCrisis1974

The Security Dimensions of a Cyprus Settlement
Joint event with the Hellenic Observatory, LSE
Canada Blanche Room (J116) , 1st Floor, Cowdray House
London School of Economics
10 October 2008
Speaker: Dr James Ker-Lindsay, LSE
Chair: Dr Zenon Stavrinides
***(Watch Online)***
http://www.acgta.org/events-2008-Ker-Lindsay.htm

The State of Greek-Turkish Relations
Canada Blanche Room (J116) , 1st Floor, Cowdray House
London School of Economics
11 July 2008
Speaker: Robert MacDonald
Chair: Alper Riza QC
***(Watch Online)***
http://www.acgta.org/events-2008-MacDonald.htm

The Apostolides v Orams Case - An Update

See January 2010 Judgement report here

ASSOCIATION FOR CYPRIOT GREEK AND TURKISH AFFAIRS

Seminar

"The Apostolides v Orams Case - An Update"
Legal Issues, Political Significance and Practical
Implications

A talk by Constantis Candounas

Chairman: Alper Riza, QC


View thumbnails

Wednesday 25 March 2009
London School of Economics
European Institute

================================================
Details of the judgement on 28th April 2009 is visible at this blog here
================================================



Brief Abstract:

Mr Constantis Candounas was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. He studied law at Queen Mary College, London and returned to Cyprus to practise. In 2004 he took up the case of Mr Meletios Apostolides, a Greek Cypriot architect whose family had been forced to abandon their house, orchard and land in Lapithos, north Cyprus in the wake of the Turkish military operation in 1974. The property was given by the administration in the north to a Turkish Cypriot who in due course passed it on to another Turkish Cypriot, who in turn cut off the trees of the orchard and built the skeleton of a villa. The property was eventually acquired by a British couple, David and Linda Orams who completed and further developed the villa. Mr Candounas represented Mr Apostolides in his action before the Nicosia District Court which ordered that the Orams should demolish the villa, return the land to the rightful owner and pay him damages for trespass, plus interest and legal fees. The Orams failed to comply, and Mr Candounas proceeded to register the judgment in the High Court of Justice in London in October 2005 and sought, on the basis of the European Regulation on recognition and enforcement of judgments, to enforce the decision of the Nicosia District Court.

The case made headlines in the UK as it could affect the legal claims of many Greek Cypriots against British users of their properties in the north of Cyprus. The fact that Mrs Cherie Blair, QC represented the Orams at the High Court hearing in July 2006 added to the public interest. In September 2006 Judge Rupert Jack, in a complex and controversial decision, found that Mr and Mrs Orams were indeed trespassers on Mr Apostolides's property but that the High Court had no jurisdiction to enforce the judgment of the Nicosia District Court. In 2007 the Court of Appeal declined to uphold Justice Jack's judgment but instead referred the case to the ECJ for 5 preliminary rulings on points of law. The judgment of the European Court of Justice is expected later on this year, but in the meantime, the Court's Advocate General, J. Kokot's opinion was given on 18.12.08 upholding all of Mr. Apostolides's arguments. The Advocate General's opinion, though by no means binding on the court, is deemed to bear significant importance.

The political significance and practical implications of the decision were discussed by Mr Candounas. This was followed by a Question and Answer session.

To view this item online at source, Archive dot org, to obtain the code for embedding this video in other web-pages, and to download this video for offline viewing, see links at the source page:
http://www.archive.org/details/ConstantisCandounasApostolidesvOrams-UpdateandJudgement



------------

THE ASSOCIATION FOR CYPRIOT, GREEK & TURKISH AFFAIRS
Dr Zenon Stavrinides
General Secretary,
8 Ganners Mount, Leeds LS13 2PE, Great Britain
Tel: 0113 256 8907 Mobile: 07790 107353
Email: Z.Stavrinides@lineone.net

Visit the ACGTA websites at
http://website.lineone.net/~acgta
and
http://www.acgta.org

Accommodating the Cyprus issue in the European Union's political and legal order

THE ASSOCIATION FOR CYPRIOT, GREEK & TURKISH AFFAIRS

Seminar
Friday 13 March 2009

London School of Economics
European Institute

Accommodating the Cyprus issue in the
European Union's political and legal order

By Nikos Skoutaris,
European University Institute, Florence, Italy
Professor Takis Tridimas in the chair




Extended Abstract:

Despite the partial normalisation of the relations between the two ethno-religious segments on the island, Cyprus’ accession to the EU neither meant its reunification nor the restoration of the human rights or the complete lift of the political and economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community. Ironically enough, the accession of the island to the EU added a new dimension to its division. According to Protocol 10 on Cyprus of the Act of Accession 2003, although the Republic of Cyprus joined the Union with its entire territory, due to the fact that its Government cannot exercise effective control over the whole island, pending a settlement, the application of the acquis is ‘suspended in those areas of the Republic of Cyprus in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not have effective control.

The scope of the paper is twofold: on the one hand it provides for a concise but accurate analytical framework of the derogations to the suspension of the acquis and on the other, it assesses the pragmatic approach that the Union has adopted when dealing with issues arising from the conflict such as the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, the “settlers” etc. In other words, it provides for a critique of the seemingly depoliticised and overly technical approach of the Union with which the EU has tried to absorb some of the stresses of the partition of the island by offering a mechanism that has enhanced the lives of most of the inhabitants on the island.

The main thesis of the paper (that consists of a summary of the outcomes of my doctoral research) is that although the application of the acquis is suspended in northern Cyprus, the territorial character of the suspension and the adoption of the Green Line Regulation and the instrument of financial support have allowed a limited integration of the areas not under the effective control of the Republic within the EU. In addition and with regard to a possible future settlement of the Cyprus issue, the paper argues that the Union is ‘ready to accommodate the terms of such a settlement in line with the principles on which the EU is founded.’ In other words, despite the foreseeable existence of tensions between a solution that would be based on the principles of bi-zonality, bi-communality and political equality and the Union legal order, the EU is willing and capable of accommodating the possible derogations from the acquis that such solution could entail.

Nikos Skoutaris is a Researcher in the Department of Law of the European University Institute (Florence, Italy) and Research Assistant of the Academy of European Law. He has worked as a specialist on the Cyprus issue and has published several articles on the interrelationship of the Cyprus issue and the Union legal order in legal journals and edited volumes. His latest article is “The application of the acquis communautaire in the Areas not under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus: The Green Line Regulation” 45(3) Common Market Law Review (2008) 727



Source page for this video at Archive dot org is here

-----------

Dr Zenon Stavrinides
General Secretary, Association for Cypriot,

Greek and Turkish Affairs
8 Ganners Mount, Leeds LS13 2PE, Great Britain
Tel: 0113 256 8907 Mobile: 07790 107353
Email: Z.Stavrinides@lineone.net

Visit the ACGTA websites at
http://website.lineone.net/~acgta
and
http://www.acgta.org

Cyprus - Progress so far - Andrew Dismore MP

The Association for Cypriot, Greek & Turkish Affairs

Friday 6 February 2009 at 6.30 p.m.

London School of Economics
European Institute
Canada Blanch Room, Cowdray House, 1st floor,
Portugal Street, London WC2A 2AE

CYPRUS: PROGRESS SO FAR
Andrew Dismore, MP

Kyriacos Tsioupras in the Chair,
for
Dr Zenon Stavrinides
General Secretary, Association for Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs


Visit the ACGTA websites at
http://website.lineone.net/~acgta
and
http://www.acgta.org

THE SPEAKER: Andrew Dismore studied law in the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics, and worked as solicitor, specialising in helping victims of accidents and crime. He entered Parliament as Labour MP for Hendon in 1997. He has served in a number of parliamentary committees, including the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which he chairs; and the Standards and Privileges Committee. He is also involved in various political organisations, including Friends of Cyprus. His long-standing interest in the situation in Cyprus and his other interests are expressed in a number of speeches and articles which can be found in his website

http://andrewdismoremp.com

As Vice Chair of Friends of Cyprus, has paid repeated visits to the island, where he met with Greek and Turkish Cypriot politicians, academics, business people and civil society personalities. Following his last visit from 26 November to 2 December 2008, he put down many parliamentary questions which when answered were fed into an adjournment debate on Cyprus on 15 January 2009, in which the Minister for Europe, Caroline Flint, MP responded on behalf of the British government.

Images from the talk:




Video of the Talk:


This video at Archive dot org

Creative Commons - Non Commercial, No Derivative Works
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/


This video has also been posted to:

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?p=407043#407043
http://www.talkcyprus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=86933#86933

Kemalist Eurasianism - Seminar

Seminar Video (has been withdrawn at the request of Dr. Emel Akçali)

Kemalist Eurasianism:
An Emerging Geopolitical Discourse in Turkey
by
Dr. Emel Akçali, University of Birmingham
Chaired by Dr. Marco Antonsich
University of Birmingham

Organised by:
Association for Cypriot, Greek & Turkish Affairs
http://www.acgta.org/events_online.htm

Friday 5th December 2008
London School of Economics, European Insrtitute,
Canada Blanch Room, Cowdray HousePortugal Street, London WC2A 2AE




Kemalist Eurasianism. Seminar, ACGTA,, European Insrtitute, Emel Akçali, University of Birmingham, Marco Antonsich, Zenon Stavrinides, James Kerr Lindsey, Kemalist Eurasianism, Turkey

Seminar Video - America Britain Cyprus Crisis 1974 - by Andreas Constandinos

America Britain Cyprus Crisis 1974 - Calculated Conspiracy or Foreign Policy Failure

Association for Cypriot, Greek & Turkish Affairs

Seminar on Friday 21st November 2008London School of Economics, European Insrtitute,Canada Blanch Room, Cowdray HousePortugal Street, London WC2A 2AE

AMERICA, BRITAIN AND THE CYPRUS CRISIS OF 1974:CALCULATED CONSPIRACY OR FOREIGN POLICY FAILURE
by
Andreas Constandinos
James Ker-Lindsay in the Chair
http://www.acgta.org


Andreas Constandinos was born in Britain of Greek Cypriot and German ancestry. He studied Law at university, and then qualified as a Barrister-at-Law at the Middle Temple. In 2005-08 he carried out research on the Cyprus crisis of 1974 at the University of East Anglia where he successfully completed his PhD in Modern European History. He is currently studying Psychology at London South Bank University.

The paper examines recently released and declassified British and American government documents, in order to scrutinize the roles played by both of these countries during the Cyprus crisis of 1974. It evaluates British and American aims towards Cyprus and their respective relationships with the Cypriot, Greek and Turkish governments. It considers Whitehall and Washington's responses to the Greek military coup, the Turkish invasion, the two Geneva conferences on Cyprus and the second, consolidatory, phase of the Turkish invasion. Ultimately, the paper attempts to ascertain whether there exists any evidence to support the belief that either Britain or America or both were complicit in the coup against President Makarios as well as colluding with Ankara in its subsequent partition of the island.




93 mins - Video source at Archive dot org


See Images from this Seminar:
Picasa Web Photo Album (available here)



Keywords:
ACGTA, Andreas-Constandinos, James-Ker-Lindsay,MartinPackard,America Britain Cyprus Crisis 1974 - Calculated Conspiracy or Foreign Policy Failure, war, invasion, Turkey, Greece, UnitedNations, EuropeanUnion, Human Rights, ECHR

Creative Commons - Non Commercial, No Derivative Works
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/
David Edmond Efthyvoulou
21 November 2008

ACGTA - Security Dimensions of a Cyprus Settlement - Video of Seminar

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=20270

http://www.talkcyprus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=86552#86552


As a long standing member of the 'Association for Cypriot Greek and Turkish Affairs', a UK group of academics and others interested in considering issues which might contribute to a greater understanding of the issues involved in relations between Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, I am pleased to announce the release of a video available through the internet of the entirety of the latest seminar by the Association.

HELLENIC OBSERVATORY, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
and
ASSOCIATION FOR CYPRIOT, GREEK & TURKISH AFFAIRS
http://www.acgta.org

Presented a seminar on
THE SECURITY DIMENSIONS OF A CYPRUS SETTLEMENT
by
Dr James Ker-Lindsay, IAA Defence Analysis, Institute Senior Research Fellow, Hellenic Observatory, EuropeanInstitute, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Dr Zenon Stavrinides in the chair


Abstract: As direct high-level talks continue between the Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, there is one aspect of the settlement process that necessarily requires the active participation of external actors: security. This talk examined a range of security questions and issues that need to be tackled, such as demilitarisation, the presence of foreign troops, the Treaty of Guarantee, peacekeeping and ensuring the post-solution defence of Cyprus. The talk was followed by a discussion with participants at the seminar.

Held at:
London School of Economics, European Institute, Cowdray House.

The video of this seminar is available at:

http://www.acgta.org/events-2008-Ker-Lindsay.htm


(Source: at google video)

Details of past events by the Association, of future events, and how to join the organisation and to be included on it's mailing list, are available on the website and by sending an email to its founder, and General Secretary, Dr. Zenon Stavrinides


About the Association for Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs:

The Association for Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs (ACGTA) was established in London in 1992 as an independent and non-partisan forum for debate and discussion on contemporary developments in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Since then, it has become the leading international association specifically dedicated to the study of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Dr Zenon Stavrinides
General Secretary, ACGTA
8 Ganners Mount
Leeds LS13 2PE
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 113 256 8907
E-mail: z.stavrinides@lineone.net