Media watch
Politis
Nicosia court issues arrest warrant for Linda Orams
"David and Linda Orams, the British couple sued by a Greek Cypriot refugee for building on his property in the occupied north will have to appear before court next month or face the risk of losing their UK assets." read more>

Simerini
About Karamanlis
"We reminded him that we find those agreements, which his uncle had signed, as the root of all evil Cypriot Hellenism suffers... while he was fighting to get Turkey date to open accession negotiations, Ankara sent combat aircrafts to fly over Greek islands." read more>

EU Business
Turkish PM attacked for 'carpet trader' style with EU
" "We were gobsmacked," said Luxembourg foreign minister Jean Asselborn, describing the mood when Erdogan bluntly told EU leaders that there was no way he could recognize Cyprus." read more>

EU Business
How the West was won: hard-bargaining by Turks at EU summit
"Erdogan's shrewd bargaining did not go across well with many EU leaders, however, with one accusing him of behaving like an aggressive "carpet trader". "We were gobsmacked," Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said, describing the mood. "What many colleagues say, (that) Turkish politicians still have things to learn, is quite right. We are not carpet traders here in Europe." read more>

Washington Times
Greek Cypriots bitter over EU's talks with Turkey
"Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hailed on his return home from Brussels as "the conqueror of the EU." read more>

EU Business
Torture treatment agency urges Turkey to tackle torture issue
"The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) said that its Turkish partner, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, treated 924 people, including 225 women and 33 children, at its five centres in 2003. From January 1 to September 14, 2004, 596 people were treated. "More than half of these torture victims, 306 to be precise, are victims of recent torture, claiming to have been tortured in 2004"... Turkey "may have fulfilled all legal reforms in line with the EU's ... criteria, (but) with regard to torture, the reforms have yet to be implemented." "There is still impunity for torturers and torture is still widespread," she said. The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey and the Human Rights Association of Turkey have "often been subjected to intimidationn and harassment by the authorities,"..." read more>

The Independent
Historic breakthrough: way clear for Turkey to join EU
"Austria joined France in saying that it would not ratify membership for Ankara without a referendum, raising new doubts about Ankara's chances of ever joining because any nation could veto Turkish accession... worries about admitting a poor, mainly Muslim country of 70 million, whose borders stretch to those of Iraq, Iran and Syria, were overriden. Despite popular opposition in France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, EU leaders decided the risk of saying no to Turkey was greater than that of bringing it into their club." read more>

Kathimerini
The EU and Turkey
"The way in which Ankara officials bargained during the two-day Brussels summit is an indication of Turkish intentions, and the Europeans ought to take the signs into serious consideration. It is not just the arrogant statements voiced by Turkish officials. More importantly, it is Ankara’s demand to start down the path of EU membership on its own terms and not be subject to the conditions that have applied to all previous candidates... Beyond diplomatic issues, Ankara’s demeanor is a sign of a broader mentality. Turkey wants the benefits of EU membership without the obligations. Its attitude demonstrates that it is a complete stranger to European civilization. It is showing the true distance that separates it from being a full EU partner." read more>

Kathimerini
Turkey gets a date for EU talks
"Following intense haggling in Brussels yesterday, European Union leaders gave Turkey an October 3, 2005 date for the launch of open-ended accession talks - which, however, will offer Ankara no guaranteed outcome." read more>

Reporters Sans Frontieres
Turkey's press freedom far from EU standards
"...the new criminal code that becomes law on 1st April 2005... [Article 305]... punishes alleged "threats against fundamental national interests". It specifically targets freedom of expression, particularly on issues involving Cyprus or Armenia. The European parliament voted on 15 December for a resolution calling, among other things, for the immediate repeal of this article, viewed as incompatible with the 1950 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms" read more>

Hellenic News
US double standard for Turkey damages US interests
"The undemocratic, unworkable and not financially viable UN Annan Plan was influenced and drafted primarily by Lord David Hannay of Britain and the U.S. The undemocratic features of the British and U.S. maneuvered Annan Plan, whereby an 18 percent Turkish Cypriot minority has a veto over all legislation and executive decisions makes a mockery of the U.S. `Initiative for Democracy in the Middle East' and elsewhere." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Hannay revels in Machiavellian glory
"It would be a good thing if the "exalted Lord," as a true representative of the now outdated "perfidious Albion,'' realised that we now live in the 21st century with its international War Crime and Human Rights Courts, which defend the rights of ordinary people against the intentions of neo-colonialist super powers." read more>

Africa (Turkish Cypriot newspaper)
Moving towards a million illegal Turks in the north
"Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will be living in the South and Turks from Turkey in the North." read more>

Info Turk
11 days before the summit of December 17... and yet, repression reigns in Turkey
"Ankara does not show any intention to recognize the injustices and atrocities committed in the Turkish history and follows an absolutely policy of negation. According to the statement of reasons for Article 306 of the new Turkish Penal Code, a citizen who demands the withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from Cyprus or declares that the Armenian genocide actually took place during the First World War, can be pursued by Justice." read more>

The Times
Britons face losing homes in Cyprus as refugees reclaim land
"A BRITISH couple who built a “dream” holiday home on Greek Cypriot land abandoned under force in northern Cyprus have been ordered to demolish it, return the plot and pay the original title-holder damages of nearly £10,000." read more>

Kurdistan Observer
The Kurds, Turkey's metamorphosis to a European state
"However, it seems that Turkey' military and civilian leaders do not realize, just like Ataturk didn't, that being a European means more than wearing a suit and a tie... And acting like one is certainly nothing to do with the fact that their country has a bit of a territory within the European continent, which in fact was an integral part of Greece ... By contrast, the present Turkey, which is a by-product of Ataturk supremacist, Kurdish-hating and jingoistic mentality still has a very long way to go to convince even its ardent supporter in Europe that it has changed, but not on the cosmetic level." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Ochi parade. Celebrating the 'No' of 1940
"GREEK Cypriots, yesterday celebrated, along with Hellenism, throughout the world, the anniversary of Greece's refusal to surrender to Fascism in 1940, with the famous 'Oxi' (No)" read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Washington admits spending millions to swing decision
"UNITED States interference in Cypriot internal affairs with the specific aim of influencing voters to accept the controversial Annan Plan is clealry admitted in a special official report" read more>

Cyprus Weekly
"Direct Tymbou flights against world law – Tassos
"... it was within the Cyprus Republic's jurisdiction to determine which sea and airports were illegal and Tymbou airport, as well as Kyrenia and Famagusta ports, are illegal because of the continued Turkish military occupation of the island's northern third." read more>

Media watch
Simerini
Metaxas’ ‘no’ vs the ‘no’ in the referendum
What would have become of Greece if Metaxas hadn’t said ‘no’? What would have become of Europe without a heroically resistant Greece... What would have become of Cyprus if we had said ‘yes’ to the Annan monstrosity? read more>

Haravghi
The pseudo-state was used as a pawn
"What happened in Cyprus with the Annan plan in reality has nothing to do with the Turkish Cypriots, but the main issue was Turkey's accession into the European Union and the pseudo-state was used as pawn." read more>

Politis
Recommendations on Cyprus. European Parliament: solution-Turkish troops in draft resolution
"Turkey is called to start withdrawing its occupation forces soon, on the basis of a specific timeframe and as foreseen in UN resolutions" read more>

Simerini
Request to inspect Tymbou airport rejected
"Eurocontrol, the European Organization for the safety of air navigation, rejected the request of Turks to inspect the illegal Tymbou (Ercan) airport" read more>

Quotations updates:
Turkish Cypriot | Turkish

Cyprus Weekly
MacShane's bloopers
"But when Cyprus insists that a settlement must be based on respect for the EU acquis, without any derogations, the Annan Plan backers, including the British government counter that the Greek Cypriots are being too legalistic, or are making "unrealistic demands."" read more>

Cyprus Weekly
UK sees Cyprus demands reasonable – says Iacovou
""I am aware that our policy on Cyprus since the referenda has caused concern among Greek Cypriots..." read more>

Quotations updates:
Greek Cypriot | Turkish Cypriot | US | Turkish

Cyprus Weekly
Turkey must recognise Cyprus, says CoE Cyprus rapporteur
"The Annan Plan was voted down by a great majority of the people of Cyprus and we must respect that." read more>
Enlighten us, Mr Klosson
"...a settlement must be based on respect for human rights and the restitution of the refugees rights as demanded by international law and the judgements of the Rights Court." read more>

Phileleftheros
You have every right to get angry (and you should)
"If the Greek-Cypriots say 'no' to the Annan plan, we will take them to a new referendum, until they say 'yes'." Lord Haney, architect of the Annan plan." read more>

Sunday Mail
Papadopoulos: solution must respect right of return
"PRESIDENT Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday the government would not abandon the rights of its citizens as the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) had confirmed them." read more>

Quotations updates:
Greek Cypriot | Turkish Cypriot | UK | US | Turkish | Miscellaneous

To Financial Times
Re: Time for the EU to reach a positive decision on Turkey
"As for Turkey we would suggest that when it learns to abide by international law, treats its own political minorities decently and ceases to illegally occupy EU territiory it should be considered for EU membership, but certainly not before." read more>

To Financial Times
Re: Time for the EU to reach a positive decision on Turkey
"It is only if Turkey learns to live by the norms of the European Union that attitudes towards their possible membership change." read more>

To Financial Times
"Its 35,000 troops are still in Cyprus as are more than 100,000 Anatolian peasants imported to change the ethnic balance of the island." read more>

Media watch

Sunday Mail
Talat: customs union is 'bitter news'
"The agreement is seen by many as the first step towards Turkey’s eventual recognition of the Republic..." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Devastating blow for Annan plan backers
"The proposed settlement could not have been very good, because it had been rejected by the Greek-Cypriot community in the April 24 referendum" (Josep Borrelll, new President of EU Parliamentary Assembly) read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Plan a recipe for disaster, says president
"There is no country in the world that has more than one monetary policy..." read more>

Cyprus Mail
Withering attack on 'absurd' plan
"... when 76 per cent, freely, democratically and fully-informed voted 'no', in deed and words, they do not respect the verdict of the people or the majority but instead mock the decision and exercise psychological terror and project real or invented dangers..." read more>

Guardian
In 1683 Turkey was the invader. In 2004 much of Europe still sees it that way

Independent
Divided island
"Turkey will never become an EU member as long as Turkish troops continue to divide Cyprus." read more>

Guardian
Patriach Petros VII

Media watch archive
05 AUG 1974 The Sun BARBARIANS "A HORRIFYING story of atrocities by the Turkish invaders of Cyprus emerged today..." read more>	23 JAN 1977 Sunday Times The terrible secrets of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus "...never before has the full story been told of what happened during and after the invasion." read more>
26 FEB 2001 The Guardian A nation betrayed: Why Kissinger should be held responsible for the bloody invasion of Cyprus "... deaths of thousands of civilians, violent uprooting of almost 200,000 refugees, and the creation of an unjust and unstable amputation of Cyprus." read more>	06 SEP 2002 The Guardian Resolutely ignored: Comply with the UN in Cyprus too "Those who righteously deplore Iraq's flouting of UN resolutions should spare a thought for Cyprus on their way to the front lines..." read more>

1974-2004 Thirty years of Turkish occupation

Cyprus Week at Theatro Technis 12-20 July

Sunday Mail
Official protest over Talat’s UK visit
"...Papadopoulos said it was not the first time Britain had shown its intentions to upgrade the illegal authorities in the occupied north, without taking into consideration the recognised government of the of Cyprus." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Council of Europe faults Annan Plan
"...the adoption by the Assembly of a resolution, despite fierce Turkish opposition, which urged the Turkish government to cooperate with UN agencies for the return of displaced persons or refugees... "ethnic cleansing must be condemned wherever it takes place"... Annan not only condones the ethnic cleansing conducted by Turkey against the Greek Cypriot population of north Cyprus but goes as far as to ignore Security Council resolutions which specifically demand the return of these Cypriot refugees by ruling out the exercise of such a fundamental human right." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Refugee developments underline Annan Plan's grave flaws
"The second is that the introduction of such illegal settlers by an occupying power in a state under its military control amounts to a violation of the Geneva Convention, and as such is a war crime that should never be condoned, never mind, rewarded!" read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Turkish rights record ‘must continue to be examined’
"Erik Jurgens, the CoE’s Rapporteur on the European Court of Human Rights, said that it was “important for the credibility of the CoE that the Committee of Ministers resumes consideration of outstanding questions in the Loizidou case and that this should be done as soon as possible.”... [British MEP Terry Davies] said that ethnic cleansing “must be condemned whenever it takes place... I learned from Cypriot friends what roots mean. You can understand that if you ask a Cypriot the village he came from.”" read more>

Cyprus Mail
Letter by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan which was handed to Security Council members
"there have been serious inaccuracies, as well as wrong assumptions, in your Report, which are pointed out in the attached Annex. The most serious of them is the erroneous interpretation of the choice of the Greek Cypriot community at the referendum of April 24, namely that by the disapproval of this specific Plan Greek Cypriots have voted against the reunification of their country. Such a claim is unfounded and insulting. It should not be forgotten that a substantial number of those voting were refugees, 70 per cent of which voted ''no'', and who for more than thirty years have been deprived of their human rights, particularly their rights to return and to property, due to the presence of 35,000 troops and 119,000 illegally implanted Turkish settlers." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Need for reflection
"Reading through the detailed 26-page [Annan] report there is a total absence of any reference to the basic cause of the Cyprus problem, the Turkish invasion, the 30-year-occupation and its consequences, whose legitimisation through the Annan plan is the basic reason for its rejection by the Greek Cypriots in the referendum." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
Turkish Cypriot journalists face military court for insulting army
"FIVE Turkish Cypriot journalists and a media group official face a military court on charges of insulting the Turkish army that could see them serving prison sentences ranging from 10 to 88 years." read more>

Cyprus News Agency
Cyprus President: solution must serve interests of Cypriots
"What is important is to find an agreed solution between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots for our own interest, rather than serve the interests of the outsiders, mainly of Turkey, or the Europeans, or the US or other countries,'' he said, adding that the Turkey had nearly all its demands met during talks in Switzerland... "nobody can be or is more disappointed than ourselves that we did not find a solution" ...He said one could not have a fair solution, when one was negotiating under the guns of 35.000 troops which occupy one's country... "this one, offered to us, was neither functional nor it would achieve the reunification of our country"... Papadopoulos said any measures to be taken should aim at reunification and pointed out that the government would never agree to two separate states in Cyprus, and said he did not believe that the EU would accept it either." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
AHI spearheads drive to change Washington's views on Cyprus
"In his detailed reference to the Annan Plan before the Subcommittee, Rossides said “the British had the primary influence in drafting the proposal, with US support and acquiescence” and noted that the plan “perpetuates the undemocratic features and ethnic divisions of the London-Zurich agreements... the Annan Plan was undemocratic because it gave minority veto powers to the 18% of Turkish Cypriots in both the executive and the legislature. Furthermore, its complicated provisions made it unworkable, it violated the UN Charter and UN resolutions, subverted property rights, perpetuated the militarisation of the island, kept 100,000 illegal Turkish settlers there and proposed clearly unfair territorial adjustments"" read more>

Media watch

Cyprus Mail
Annan Plan serves everybody’s interests but our own
"...all we want any more is peace and justice; instead of an unfair and in most aspects racist regime imposed on us. We want democracy...Why should we, the Cypriots as a whole, be considered second-class human beings... Is it really possible finally to have peace in a country where settlers from occupying Turkey will in fact rule it? Or in a country where the historical citizens are denied the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, including not only ownership, but also the right to vote and be voted for in the affairs of their place of residence? Or by imposing the will of a minority on the majority of 80 per cent? Or where foreign powers will continue having the right to intervene in our internal affairs... read more>

Providence (Rhode Island) Journal
Why Cyprus said No
Turkish admission to the E.U. cannot reasonably go forward so long as its troops occupy a sovereign E.U. member... the Annan plan was an insult. It was not really a design to reunify the island, but a gesture to enshrine the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation... Most Greek Cypriots, driven into exile by the Turkish army, would not have been allowed to return to their homes and villages.. the Turkish army, 40,000 strong, would have stayed on Cyprus indefinitely... the Annan plan not only allowed illegal Turkish colonists to remain on the island, but dramatically restricted the movement of Greek Cypriots in northern Cyprus. In the European Union, where citizens are free to live and work wherever they like, Greek Cypriots would have been prevented from traveling freely in their own country. This last provision might have mollified Ankara, but was a stunning betrayal of every principle the U.N. and E.U. stand for." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
EU equality above all
"...any settlement must comply fully with the EU acquis and respect for human rights, without any derogations. This is imperative to ensure that the people of Cyprus, whatever their ethnic origin, become EU citizens equal in every respect to the citizens of the other 24 members of the union... so that Cypriots may then feel they are not some sort of second class citizens denied the basic rights enjoyed in every other EU state. If nothing else, this would do away with some of the most outrageous provisions of the Annan Plan that in effect grant non-Cypriot EU citizens greater rights in Cyprus than those of the native Cypriots themselves." read more>

Cyprus Weekly
EU must warn Turkey over heritage crime
"...the EU Parliament must also be reminded of a resolution it adopted in 1988, which called on the Council of Ministers to warn Turkey that it must respect international agreements on the protection of the European cultural heritage in Cyprus as a necessary step to ensure its progress towards joing the EU... scores of vandalised churches and the destruction of other cultural treasures in the occupied north, as well as a long list of the numerous international agreements violated by Turkey..." read more>

Will it work?
At this crucial time in our history Lobby for Cyprus has considered the viability of the Annan Plan. We have some serious reservations... read more>

Media watch
Simerini
Schizophrenic phenomenon
Sunday Mail
Europe: the catalyst that has transformed the Cyprus problem
Guardian
Hopes rise for Cyprus peace deal
Cyprus Mail
Annan remains cautious despite the pressure
Cyprus Weekly
Emphasis on human rights
Moving ahead or falling back?
Tassos to Annan: Try again!
Turkey has key role in search for a settlement says CoE
Talat vows to work with Ankara on solution
BBC
Pressure mounts for Cyprus deal
Guardian
Turkish generals back talks on Cyprus
Guardian
Europe asks Turkey to help unite Cyprus
Guardian
Denktash puts Cypriot deal back into play
Guardian
Turkey's pivotal role
Guardian
Greek PM calls early election
Guardian
Israeli 'water for arms' deal with Turkey