18 November 2007 update:
Media watch

AsiaNews
Turkey: Halki’s Chapel of the Transfiguration left in ruins
"Forest guards began demolition work on the chapel without warning. Only the immediate protest of the prior of Haliki and Metropolitan Meliton avoided its total destruction. A Church in Kadikoy, ancient Calcedonia is also targeted by vandals."

Media watch

Independent
Holocaust denial in the White House
"The Turks say the Armenians died in a 'civil war', and Bush goes along with their lies... A clutch of Turkish generals and a multimillion-dollar public relations campaign on behalf of Turkish Holocaust deniers have transformed the lion into a lamb... They have blackmailed the Western powers – including our own British Government, and now even the US – to kowtow to their shameless denials."

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Raffle tickets also available
Win a spa holiday, 32" television, flight to Cyprus, flight to Greece, and much more

Sign the online petition to 10 Downing Street
Call on Prime MInister Brown to avoid direct or indirect action to recognise the occupied territories of Cyprus

Go to http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/CyprusProblem

Picket for Cyprus
To express outrage at the recent Britain-Turkey strategic partnership
Thursday 1 November 2007
10 Downing Street (on Whitehall)
6pm-8pm
Join the picket to condemn the recent British-Turkish strategic partnership announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown which includes British support for Turkey's illegal regime in the northern occupied territories of Cyprus. Organised by National Federation of Cypriots.
Nearest tube Westminster

Media watch

Cyprus Weekly
Albion: perfidious as ever
"Britain's branding was coined way back in the 13th century, and rings as true today as it did then! The latest example of this favourite British ploy is the British government's decision this week to sign an agreement with Turkey for the upgrading of the status of the illegal, breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in a form tantamount to all but full diplomatic recognition..."

New Statesman
The 'desecration' of Cyprus
Brian Coleman, Consevative member of the London Assembly on occupied northern Cyprus, the treatment of Orthodox churches and why the government promotes Turkish membership of the EU
"Last weekend I was in Cyprus to attend events to continue to protest about the Turkish occupation of North Cyprus in particular the beautiful town of Morphu, twinned with my home Borough of Barnet."

Letters

David Miliband MP, UK Foreign Secretary
First of all on behalf of Lobby for Cyprus may I congratulate you on your recent appointment as Foreign Secretary. We hope that this will herald the beginning of a more ethical approach to the Cyprus issue than we have witnessed under your predecessors.

Press releases

Gul's call for EU to ignore Cyprus issue is arrogance
"The call by Turkey's new president to separate the Cyprus issue from Turkey's drive to be admitted to the European Union is arrogance of the first order."

Two 'Turkey get out' bills now in US Congress
"Although the US Congress has adjourned for the summer, it is encouraging to note that in its House of Representatives there are two Cyprus-related bills, both of which call on Turkey to cease its illegal occupation of the north of the Island."

EU, US affirms Republic's sole right to explore coastal shores
Both the European Union and the United States of America have affirmed the legality of the actions of the Republic of Cyprus regarding oil exploration off its coast and its a further blow to Turkey's attempts to share in the possible wind-fall that may accrue to the Republic."

Turkey's prevention of religious meeting shows its true face
"Although the meeting was to be a purely religious one, Turkey's denial of permission of the visit of the new Greek-Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus, Chrysostomos, to Istanbul to meet with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, shows once again how Turkey's anti-Cyprus policy manifests itself."

Lobby for Cyprus demonstration forces closure of Sea Terra property exhibition
25 persons from Lobby for Cyprus today attended a property exhibition organised by UK company Sea Terra at the Hilton hotel in Cobham, Surrey. Sea Terra is registered in Wiltshire and has offices in Trowbridge.

Cyprus prelate calls for help to preserve churches in occupied north
Using his recent visit to Rome, the Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus, Chrysostomos II, called on world support for pressure to be put on Turkey and its troops in the occupied north of the island to permit the Church of Cyprus to restore its Churches at its own expense and to permit the return five elderly monks.

Lobby for Cyprus newsletter Summer 2007

2: The big steal Not content with having occupied the northern part of Cyprus, Turkey is now engaging in the systematic concreting over of stolen Greek Cypriot land and selling it to foreigners. This is the final act to complete the 1974 ethnic cleansing of Greek Cypriots and to consolidate Turkey’s illegal occupation. read more »

3: More myths of Turkish Cypriot ‘isolation’ The myth of Turkish Cypriot isolation continues to confuse those with an interest in Cypriot politics. In an attempt to upgrade the status of the illegal regime in occupied Cyprus, millions of pounds in public relations are being wasted on trying to prove a negative – the alleged isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. read more »

4: Who really calls the shots in occupied Cyprus? The fallacies that Turkey is a genuine democracy and that the occupied area of Cyprus has the ability to take decisions independently of Turkey’s strategic interests have been well illustrated recently. read more »

5: A society uprooted: Famagusta Turkey, with impunity, continues to violate UN Resolution 550 which calls for the transfer of the town of Famagusta to the administration of the UN. The once bustling Demokratias Street in Ammochostos, Famagusta, now derelict after decades of Turkish occupation. read more »

6: How to win friends and influence people At a recent conference in Washington, US Undersecretary at the State Department, Nicholas Burns, stated that the US wanted to be part of an effort to renew the talks aimed at getting the stalled talks on Cyprus back on track. read more »

7: Right to return Since its inception Lobby for Cyprus has placed at the core of its policies the inalienable right to return of the refugees to their homes and lands. read more »

8: Morphou and Lapithos: Bittersweet pilgrimage – a refugee returns Since the Turkish occupation regime allowed limited freedom of movement through the occupation line in 2003, many Greek Cypriots have visited their occupied lands. The following is the personal account of a refugee who fled the Turkish invasion of 1974. read more »

9: A paradise destroyed: Morphou and Lapithos The eradication of Europe’s heritage. Greek Cypriots who have visited their homes and lands in the occupied north have been shocked and outraged at the wanton systematic deliberate destruction of Greek heritage by the Turkish occupiers. read more »
PHOTO REPORT Lapithos and Morphou: a paradise destroyed

DISASTER RELIEF FUND FOR THE FIRE-STRICKEN COMMUNITIES OF GREECE
Please make a donation to Greek Fire Victims Fund to help support the victims of the devastating forest fires that claimed 63 lives, destroyed more than 500 homes and left thousands of people homeless. Donations can be made through the Bank of Cyprus and Bank of Greece. Donate now »

Statements

1974-2007 Thirty-three years of Turkish occupation
20 July and 14 August mark commemorations of the brutal Turkish invasions of the Republic of Cyprus in 1974... read more »

CYPRUS End the illegal Turkish occupation
In 1974 Turkey invaded Cyprus, illegally dividing the country and committing war crimes and mass human rights abuses. Hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots were ethnically cleansed by the Turkish army. Turkey continues to violate international law and United Nations resolutions that demand the withdrawal of the Turkish army and the right to return for Greek Cypriot refugees... read more » / Download and print as pdf leaflet »

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Media watch

2 July 2007
Cyprus News Agency
Cypriot Attorney-General describes British Court of Appeal decision in Orams case 'significant'
The decision of Britain's Court of Appeal, to refer to the Court of Justice of the European Communities for consideration, the hearing into a property case involving a Greek refugee and a British couple, is especially significant because it refers to the relevant court the resolution of issues which decisively affect the property issue in the occupied north, said here Monday Attorney-General Petros Clerides.

Cyprus News Agency
Barnet leader appalled by Ryan's appointment
Councillor Mike Freer, Leader of Barnet Council, says in a press release that he was ''appalled'' at British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's appointment of MP Joan Ryan as the government's special envoy to Cyprus.

Cyprus News Agency
Cyprus - UN - protest at house demolitions
Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the UN Andreas Mavroyiannis, in accordance with the instructions received from the government, sent a letter dated June 22 to the UN Secretary General, protesting the ongoing demolition of Greek Cypriot houses by the Turkish occupation forces in the occupied town of Rizokarpaso, without the owners` consent.

Cyprus Weekly
Refugees rights must be respected stresses UN Refugee Commissioner
The restitution of refugees rights "is absolutely essential’’ for a comprehensive settlement of political problems, it was stressed here yesterday by the most authoritative international personality on refugee problems, the UN High Commissioner on Refugees, Antonio Gutierrez.

Cyprus Weekly
No membership while occupation goes on
TURKEY cannot pursue accession to the European Union while keeping an occupation army in another member state of the EU. This was the categorical declaration by Greece’s President, Carolos Papoulias, made in Yerevan, during a two-day state visit to Armenia.

Cyprus Weekly
Russia supports solution based on UN resolutions
RUSSIA will continue to support a solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN Security Council decisions and resolutions.

4 July 2007 updates:

Press releases

14 June 2007
French ambassador calls for fulfilling of July 8 Cyprus agreement
"Two recent events highlight the importance of the July 8, 2006, Agreement, which Turkey and the leaders of the Turkish Cypriots have yet to begin to implement," said Theo Theodorou, spokesman for Lobby for Cyprus.

13 June 2007
'Turkish Cypriots are choosing to enjoy Republic's benefits', Lobby for Cyprus says
"The latest figures from Nicosia give the lie, once again, to Turkish claims that the people living in the illegally-occupied north of the island, are isolated," declared Theo Theodorou… Turkish Cypriots have 49,156 Republic passports, 79,497 of them have Republic identity cards, and 90,920 have Republic birth certificates.

7 June 2007
Turkey destroying Christian heritage of Cyprus, two reports charge
"The cultural destruction of not only Greek Orthodox churches in Cyprus but also churches of the Church of Rome as well as churches belonging to Maronites and the Armenians in the occupied north of Cyprus is further evidence that Turkey wants to eliminate all traces of the Christians so as to establish the view that Cyprus has always been a divided island,"

6 June 2007
Sincerity of Turkish side in doubt says Lobby for Cyprus
"Although the Republic of Cyprus is contributing to the implementation of the July 8, 2006, UN-brokered, agreement paving the way towards a political settlement of the divided island it would appear that the only consideration of the Turkish Cypriots and of Turkey is to give credence and status to the illegal regime in the Turkish-occupied part of the island."

5 June 2007
Refugee's property title in occupied Cyprus again upheld by Human Rights Court
Potential buyers of property in the illegally occupied north of Cyprus have yet another reason to reconsider, following the award of €885,000 (£600,000) to a Greek Cypriot woman because she has been denied access to her property in Famagusta.

Events

Wednesday 18 July 2007
Lobby for Cyprus seminar
Property rights in occupied Cyprus:
an update from the European Court of Human Rights
Speaker: Achilleas Demetriades
Theatro Technis, London 7.30pm

Further details »

Photo of the day

A paradise destroyed View photo »

11 June 2007 updates:

Press releases

Refugee's property title in occupied Cyprus again upheld by Human Rights Court
London--"Potential buyers of property in the illegally occupied north of Cyprus have yet another reason to reconsider," said Theo Theodorou, spokesman for Lobby for Cyprus, following the award of €885,000 (£600,000) to a Greek Cypriot woman because she has been denied access to her property in Famagusta.

Turks destroying homes of Greek Cypriot refugees
London--"The recent report that the Turks are burning the former homes of Greek Cypriot refugees is both disturbing and typical," said Theo Theodorou, spokesman for Lobby for Cyprus, referring to the news of the destruction in the village of Rizokarpaso, in the Karpass peninsula, in the northeast of the island.

Fact sheet May 2007

Lobby joins Cyprus president in refuting Turkish Cypriot claims
“Lobby for Cyprus supports the charge by Cypriot president Tassos Papadopoulos that the claims by Turkish Cypriots that the residents of the illegally occupied north are living in ‘economic isolation’ or embargoes are spurious and politically motivated”…

Campaign action

Missing persons online petition to 10 Downing Street
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to demand of Turkey that it comply fully with the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, which found it guilty of violating the right to life and liberty of Cypriots regarded as missing persons since its illegal invasion and occupation of Cyprus in 1974 and for violating the right of their relatives not to be subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment, whilst searching for news of their loved ones.
Click here to sign »

Media watch

Cyprus Weekly
Thieving exploitation: MPs denounce Turkish usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties
MPs yesterday denounced Turkey's usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied north and urged Greek Cypriot owners at the same time not to become involved in such deals that may have a negative impact on the efforts for a just settlement and the return of refugee properties to their legal owners. The vote declared that, in addition to this "thieving exploitation" of the Greek Cypriot properties, Turkey persists with the destruction of the cultural heritage and the natural environment in the north.

Cyprus Weekly
Bush's stirring words on the rule of law
President George Bush used some stirring words in a speech marking last Monday's Memorial Day holiday, urging Americans to rededicate themselves to fighting for freedom around the world… Would that these were applied universally by the US President so that the rule of law and the rights of people were respected everywhere. Greek Cypriots, particularly the tens of thousands of refugees ethnically cleansed from the Turkish-occupied north of the island, have been praying for years that this were so!

Cyprus Weekly
Sad return to vandalised monastery in occupied north
THE 200 Armenians returning to a Mediaeval monastery in the occupied areas were confronted with the building’s tragic decay. The walls of the Monastery of Sourp Magar echoed with prayer for the first time in the 33 years since the Turkish invasion.

Cyprus Mail
Turkey told to pay up in property case
TURKEY must pay 880,000 euros to Greek Cypriot refugee Myra Xenides-Arestis by August 22, following a final decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), lawyer Achilleas Demetriades said yesterday.

Cyprus Mail
Home owners in the north only have themselves to blame for crisis
THE NUMBER of British house-buyers being cheated by developers, estate agents and builders in the occupied north has been steadily rising. People who have been the victims of dishonest developers, incompetent builders and crooked lawyers are now posting accounts of their experiences on a website, for prospective buyers to see.

Cyprus Mail
DISY calls on EU to recognise Pontian genocide
DISY yesterday called on the European Union and the international community to recognise the Pontian Greek Genocide of 1916-1923.

Cyprus Mail
The violation of property rights in Cyprus: is there still hope?
‘Human rights concerns regarding Cyprus stem largely from the division of the island along a ceasefire line and the current unresolved political situation. The division of the island has consequences for the enjoyment, on the whole of the island, of a number of human rights including…property rights’ (Report by the UN Secretary General to the Commission on Human Rights, E/CN.4/2002/33, March 4, 2002).

Fact files

FACTS AND FIGURES:
Consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupatio »
Cultural heritage »
Economic impact »

Photo of the day

CULTURAL GENOCIDE
Turkish systematic attempts to eradicate the heritage of Cyprus are an attack on Europe
View photo»

Link to Lobby for Cyprus

You can help to spread the message for human rights in Cyprus by adding a link from your website to Lobby for Cyprus Online.
click here »

Web links

Famagusta Municipality websiite »
Metopo »
ISCHYS »

30 April 2007 updates:

About Lobby for Cyprus

What Lobby stands for
Lobby for Cyprus is a non-party-political, non-sectarian voluntary organisation based in the UK, with the aim of reuniting Cyprus.
read more »

Statements

Presentation at the 1st convention for refugees and expelled Europeans,Trieste, Italy
Lobby was set up in the UK in the early 1990s by Greek Cypriot refugee associations based in the UK and is and has always been entirely non-party-political. It has become the voice of the Greek Cypriots in the UK. Lobby campaigns for the reunification of Cyprus on the basis of the 3Rs.
read more »

European Commission report 2006 –  Turkey is still unfit to join the EU
The European Commission reported on Turkey’s progress in preparing for EU membership following the opening of accession negotiations in October 2005. This makes dismal reading – in relation to each of the main criteria – political, economic, its capacity to assume the obligations of membership and EU-Turkey relations – Turkey has failed to deliver.
read more »

Campaign actions

Online petition
Global campaign for return of Varosha to its lawful inhabitants.
"We, the undersigned, demand the return of varosha to its lawful inhabitants that were displaced in 1974, according to public international law, fundamental human rights and the resolutions of the un security council and the relevant rulings of the european court of human rights"
Click here to sign »

Submit comment to Guardian website Geoff Hoon article
Can Cyprus reunify? Despite joining the EU in 2004, the problems of reunification in Cyprus are as intransigent as ever'.
Go to http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/geoff_hoon/2007/04/can_cyprus_reunify.html

Online petition
To restore Saint Sophia (Agia Sophia) cathedral from a museum to a Greek Orthodox Church
Go to www.hagiasophiablog.com.

Fact sheet March 2007

Turkey and demographics changes – ‘ours is all right, his is not
Once again, Ankara displays its arrogance that there is one rule for Turkey and one rule for everyone else. Recently, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul charged that the Kurds are changing the demographics in the north of Iraq, yet he conveniently ignored the fact that Turkey has changed the demographics in the illegally occupied north of Cyprus.
read more »

Turkey creates an enemy, is ‘angered’ when he is murdered
Although there are many reasons why Turkey is unsuitable for membership of the European Union, it took the murder of the Turkish-Armenian editor, on the street in front of his newspaper's office, to highlight one of the most serious.
read more »

Solution to Cyprus division simple
There is a simple solution to the "Cyprus problem": implementation of the Three Rs – Removal of the Turkish army, Repatriation of the Anatolian colonists, Return of all refugees to their homes and properties without restrictions, preconditions and discrimination.
read more »

Press releases

US Congress asked to act to protect Cypriot property rights
London--"It is to be hoped that the British Parliament will have the same degree of courage and sense of responsibility as the American Congress and will act to protect the interests of its Cypriot subjects," said Nick Kounoupias, spokesman for Lobby for Cyprus, in referring to a recent piece of legislation raised in the Congress on behalf of Cypriots who have lost their properties in the illegally occupied north of Cyprus.

Europarliament asks resolution on 1974 invasion's 'missing'
London--"Lobby for Cyprus has long sought a thorough investigation of the missing persons from the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus," said Nick Kounoupias, Lobby spokesman, "and it would appear that the recent resolution adopted by the European Parliament will finally resolve the matter."

US supports rights of Cyprus to its coastal oil, gas reserves
London--"Lobby for Cyprus lauds the recent statement of the American Ambassador to Cyprus regarding the Republic's right to deal with the natural-gas and oil reserves on the sea south of the island," said Nick Kounoupias, Lobby spokesman.

Letters

Guardian
Geoff Hoon is certainly right in stating that Cyprus is of huge strategic importance. It is for this reason that Britain still maintains 99 square miles of 'sovereign' territory on the island, its "unsinkable battleship" (on which it secretly stored nuclear weapons in the 1960s). Unfortunately this strategic importance is downplayed by the UK media (Guardian included) which is all too keen to tow the government line in ignoring Turkey's crimes of ethnic cleansing, demographic engineering and cultural genocide in Cyprus.

To Metro
He should ask himself why he was treated so well in this "unspoilt" land. Did he ask what happened to the 200,000 Greek and other Christians that lived there before they were brutally etnically cleansed in 1974?

To Metro
Should Metro be publishing racist comments such as that of S Tosun who refers to Greek Cypriots as ‘the kidnappers’? I find that most offensive. Despite atrocities committed by Turkey and its subordinates in Cyprus over decades: kidnap, torture, murder, rape, I don’t tar Turkish Cypriots with the same brush.

To Metro
Did you know that the majority of the hotels in the occupied north of Cyprus are built on land owned by Greek Cypriots that is stolen land?

To Financial Times
Many myths--if not outright distortions of fact--have grown around the situation on the island of Cyprus, and three of them have been included, yet again, in the FT 11 January report ('Cypriot bridge demolition reverberates in Ankara') by Vincent Boland and Karin Hope.

To BBC Have your say
Turkey should stop crying wolf that it is being kept out of the the EU because it is a 'Christian club'. It has not joined the EU for a number of reasons, namely its failure to respect EU law and for continuing violations of human rights

Media watch

BBC
Turkish ruling party warns army
"Turkey's ruling party has sharply criticised an army threat to intervene in politics, saying the military must remain under civilian control… The European Union earlier warned the army not to interfere in politics, saying the controversy was a test case for the military to respect democracy."

Cyprus Weekly
Cyprus marks anniversary of Armenian genocide
"The community's representative to Parliament, Vartkes Mahdessian, said on Wednesday: "It is time for Turkey's political leadership to find the courage to recognise the crimes committed by previous Turkish governments, vindicating the victims of the genocide - Armenian, Greek, Cypriot, Kurd, Arab, Pontian and others - within their hopes of joining the EU."

Cyprus Weekly
Euro entry 'strictly economic'
"THE accession of Cyprus to the Eurozone will be judged exclusively on economic considerations, top EU leaders said this week."

Cyprus Weekly
MEP makes call to Euro Commission on return of Famagusta
DISY MEP Panayiotis Demetriou has urged the European Commission to heed the call of Famagusta refugees and help return the ghost city to its rightful inhabitants.

Cyprus Weekly
Cypriots would still vote against Annan Plan – survey
THREE years after Cyprus rejected the Annan Plan, the majority of Cypriots still say they would vote against it.

Cyprus Weekly
GC and TC parties agree to push for troop-free Nicosia
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot party chiefs have codified their wish for an army-free Nicosia in an accord to push for a mutual troop draw-down inside the capital.

Cyprus Weekly
Abolish Cyprus injustice
"THE prevailing unjust situation in Cyprus has to be abolished and a settlement must be based on principles, the President of Slovenia, the current holder of the rotating EU presidency, said yesterday."

Cyprus Weekly
Greek-American groups call for sanctions against Turkey over Cyprus
GREEK-American groups called on the US government to impose economic sanctions and an arms embargo against Turkey if it continues its illegal occupation of north Cyprus.

Cyprus Weekly
Britain and Cyprus announce new era in relations
"British Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon met with Foreign Minister George Lillikas in Nicosia to cement what they deemed a "new era" of "mutual understanding."

Cyprus Weekly
Bases cash issue 'complex' - Tassos
"THE government has taken on board a motion passed by parliament urging Nicosia to make representations to Britain over London's refusal to pay for maintaining two large sovereign military bases on the island."

Cyprus Weekly
Hoon: UK willing to discuss bases but no pull out
BRITISH Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon said this week that London is willing to discuss the extent and range of its sovereign bases on Cyprus but implied that troop withdrawal is a non-starter.

Financial Mirror
Mayors of occupied Cyprus towns criticise UN
The elected mayors of the nine Turkish occupied municipalities of Cyprus have sent a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour in relation to the Secretary General’s Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Cyprus.

Cyprus News Agency
Morphou Mayor says puppet regime allocating property to Turkish settlers
"The Mayor Morphou Charalambos Pittas said that the puppet regime in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus is bringing settlers to the occupied town of Morphou, in an effort to reap political gains."

BBC
Three killed at Turkish publisher
"Three people have been killed at a publishing house in Turkey that produced bibles, in an apparent attack on the country's Christian minority."

Cyprus News Agency
CoE Ministers adopt interim resolution on Cyprus vs Turkey case
"The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted a second interim resolution concerning the execution of a judgment, in May 2001, by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Cyprus against Turkey."

BBC
Greek Church attacks history book
"Controversy is raging in Greece over a new school history book, which critics say is designed to improve relations with Greece's ancient rival, Turkey."

Cyprus News Agency
European Parliament calls for speedy investigation into the fate of missing persons
"The European Parliament adopted Thursday a resolution on missing persons in Cyprus, calling all parties concerned to cooperate sincerely on a speedy completion of the appropriate investigations into the fate of all missing persons in Cyprus after the Turkish military invasion of 1974."

Cyprus News Agency
Bill for US citizens to claim property in occupied Cyprus introduced
"US Congressman Frank Pallone and 16 other colleagues have introduced bipartisan legislation that would allow US citizens, who own property in the Turkish occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus, to seek financial remedies with either the current inhabitants of their land or the Turkish government."

Independent
Silenced: The nationalist war on Turkey's intellectuals
"Free-thinkers are under siege from a campaign of intimidation by the far right which has created a climate of repression and self-censorship."

Cyprus News Agency
ZAMAN – Head of the Human Rights Association: The European Court of Human Rights has always protected Turkey in its decisions
"Turkish English language TODAYS ZAMAN newspaper reports the following: “Turkey has paid more than 45 million euros in compensation since the European Court of Human Rights ruled against it in a number of cases, most of which involve a violation of property rights, according to Justice Ministry data.""

9 Feb 2007 updates:

Cyprus Mail
Cyprus takes Turkey threats to UN
"CYPRUS has officially protested to the UN over Turkish threats in relation to the oil and gas exploration off the island's coast."

Cyprus government Press and Information Office
Cancellations of illegal purchases of land and houses in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus
"Foreign buyers have started to cancel their purchase agreements for houses or plots…"

Media watch
Cyprus Mail
'Turkey acting like a pirate'
"The only necessary action which Turkey needs to take is to become accustomed to legality and respect international laws…"

Cyprus Weekly
European leaders denounce Turkey's war threats against Cyprus
"Turkey' threats of war to prevent oil exploration by Cyprus at sea were strongly denounced yesterday by leading European officials…

Cyprus Weekly
Warships row
"A spokesman of the British High Commission said… "…the legal personality of the Republic of Cyprus, and its rights in international law, are not in doubt."… "in Washington, Foreign Department Sean McCormack said: "We recognise the Republic of Cyprus as a sovereign state""…

Cyprus Weekly
EU Presidency determined to solve missing persons drama
"THE German EU Presidency will do its best to help bring forward unresolved core Human Rights issues,'' Peter Wittig, the Director General for Human Rights at Germany's Foreign Ministry, said here yesterday."

Cyprus Weekly
Report Turkey to Security Council over oil threats, urges Disy
"…opposition Disy yesterday said that the government should ask for the Security Council to convene and condemn the provocative actions of Turkey, following Cyprus’ decision to go ahead with the exploration of its offshore oil and gas reserves."

BBC
Turkey probes Dink suspect video
"A probe has begun in Turkey after a man charged with killing a Turkish Armenian journalist appeared in a video posing with police and the national flag."

BBC
Obituary: Hrant Dink
"Hrant Dink, a writer and journalist, was one of the most prominent voices of Turkey's shrinking Armenian community. The 53-year-old editor was convicted in 2005 for writing about the Armenian "genocide" in 1915, a claim denied by the authorities in Ankara."

Amnesty International
Turkey: Murder of journalist deplored
"Amnesty International deplores the murder in Turkey today of prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. The organisation believes that he was targeted because of his work as a journalist who championed freedom of expression."