Some remains of missing persons have been removed and hidden to cover up mass executions, the Pancyprian Organisation of Relatives of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons has said.

The organisation said that over the past two years less and less valid information is reaching the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) and the authorities of the Republic, while Turkey continues refusing to cooperate, open its archives and allow access for investigation in areas branded `military zones` in the north.

It said from a number of exhumations over the past few years, another dimension of the problem had come to light, that of the deliberate removal of remains from their initial burial sites with the aim of concealing mass executions carried out by invading Turkish troops on civilians and prisoners of war.
“The tragic case we see today concerns 70 civilians aged over 50, of whom 52 were from the village of Assia and 18 from neighbouring communities,” the organisation said.

It added that from the recent identification of incomplete remains found in the Ornithi area, information was confirmed regarding the removal of remains and their transfer to an unknown place.
“The result of this second, heinous crime against the victims and their relatives, is the discovery and handing over to the families of just a small part of the remains, which in most cases is just a few bones or bone fragments. Also, the refusal of the Turkish side to give information and explanations regarding the places they were taken to cannot be overlooked,” it added.

The organisation said it was unacceptable and demanded an immediate reaction from the government and the CMP so that the bones that were removed were found.

It also calls on the government and the CMP to make a firm commitment that the case files concerning the removal of remains would not be closed and that investigations would continue and intensify.

According to the CMP, to date, 1,508 Greek Cypriots and 493 Turkish Cypriots are on the missing list.

The number of identified remains of  individuals returned to their families are: Greek Cypriots: 509 and Turkish Cypriots: 127, while 927 sites have been excavated. (CNA)

Reports from the north on Wednesday said vets were concerned over an increase in Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) among herds of cattle in Ayios Andronikos, Karpas and Ayia Triada.

According to Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kibris, farmers were anxious over the outbreak and all measures were being taken to stop the disease from spreading.

The LSD virus mainly affects cattle but zebras, buffalo and giraffes have been known to contract it as  traditionally the disease is found in southern and eastern Africa. It is spread by insect bites.  Symptoms include fever, discharge from the eyes and nose and skin lesions among others. It is sometimes fatal. Quarantine restrictions are of limited use and vaccination are the best method of control.

In statements to Kibris, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot association of veterinarians Umut Sagili said the disease mostly likely came from Turkey through hay shipments containing the insects.

Sagili accused the ‘authorities’ in the north of not taking the appropriate measures necessary for the import of hay from Turkey or other countries.

The ‘director of veterinary services’ Ramadan Gkioksan said that all necessary measures were being taken. He said he was in contact with authorities in the government-controlled areas, which would take its own measures, he said.

By George Psyllides
European Union experts have arrived in Cyprus to look into an outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) among cattle in the Turkish-occupied northern part of the island, Agriculture Minister Nicos Kouyialis said on Wednesday.
The minister said it was a “very important matter” as it was the first time LSD appeared on EU soil, apparently imported from Turkey.
Since the Republic does not have any control over the north, it has asked the EU for experts who arrived on the island on Monday and were expected to go to the north to assess the situation.
The minister said so far only a small number of animals have been affected but the objective was to tackle the disease before it spread.
LSD is a disease spread by insect bites. Symptoms include fever, discharge from the eyes and nose and skin lesions among others. It is sometimes fatal. Quarantine restrictions are of limited use and vaccinations are the best method of control.
Kouyialis said the Republic was monitoring the situation and measures were already in place but it was not known what measures were taken in the occupied areas.
“It is not transmitted to humans … but there is a problem with the animal population because it can easily spread, if not tackled effectively, and we would never want such incidents in Cyprus again,” Kouyialis said.
Cyprus had a difficult time with Brucellosis — a bacterial infection that spreads from animals to humans treated with antibiotics — in the past, which took 13 years to eradicate.
The EU has recently declared Cyprus free of Brucellosis.
“You realise we cannot play games with these matters and that is the reason I asked the (European) Commission to come here and tell us what is happening,” the minister said. “The Commission is very concerned about this disease. I am certain that within the next two to three days we will have an assessment and the ways with which the disease must be tackled.”

Acting President and House President Yiannakis Omirou on Saturday rejected a proposal submitted by Turkish Foreign Ministers Mevlut Cavusoglu that he and his Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos visit Cyprus together and hold separate meetings with President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.
Press reports suggested that Cavusoglu proposed he and Venizelos visit Anastasiades after he returns to Cyprus from New York where he underwent heart surgery, but also cross to the north to meet Eroglu.
Commenting on press reports, Omirou rejected the proposal noting that this aimed to portray an image of separate entities in Cyprus as well as to give the impression that the Cyprus problem was a dispute between Greece and Turkey.
“Therefore Cavusolgu`s proposal is categorically rejected as the intended visit to the north and the south, as they say, to aims to present the existence of two entities, that is, to equate of the Republic of Cyprus with the illegal regime in the occupied areas,” he said.
“This proposal is not new, it has been tabled by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that he and his Greek counterpart Antonis Samaras should visit both north and south and this is rejected in the most strong manner,” he concluded. (CNA)

Turkish Cypriots will go to the polls on April 19 to elect a new leader, it was announced on Monday.

The campaign will begin on March 24, with nominations being submitted on March 13. Political parties have until March 10 to decide on their candidates.

Election polls will be banned after April 4 and campaigning ends on the evening of April 18.

The candidates so far are: Dervis Eroglu, the current Turkish Cypriot leader, Sibel Siber, Mustafa Akinci, Kudret Ozersay and Mustafa Onouner.

It was also announced that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu would be paying a visit to the north on Wednesday.

The Republic’s veterinary services are ready to provide assistance to Turkish Cypriots, Agriculture Minister Nicos Kouyiallis said on Wednesday, as a report suggested that help had been sought to tackle an outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) among cattle in the northern part of the island.

Kouyialis said no request had been made beyond a report in Turkish Cypriot media that an appeal for help had been made.

The minister said the matter was being monitored by the vet services, which were in contact with European Union authorities.

The disease was detected in the north towards the end of November last year.

LSD is a disease spread by insect bites. Symptoms include fever, discharge from the eyes and nose and skin lesions among others. It is sometimes fatal. Quarantine restrictions are of limited use and vaccinations are the best method of control.

“The areas with the problem are quite far from the government-controlled areas but such diseases, which are serious and unprecedented on EU territory, must be tackled immediately and effectively in line with EU rules,” he said.

Interior Minister Socratis Hasikos said on Wednesday that measures taken by the government to discourage Greek Cypriots from resorting to the immovable property commission (IPC) in the north had dropped dramatically.

“The government`s policies to reduce the number of Greek Cypriots who resort to the immovable property commission in the occupied areas to sell their properties, have yielded results,” he said.

In statements after the cabinet meeting, Hasikos said that in 2013 the number of Greek Cypriot applications to the commission was 1,700, while in 2014 the number dropped to 372.

He added that the Cabinet had decided on Wednesday that Greek Cypriots who had properties in the north could sell them to other Greek Cypriots without any transfer fees.

This decision, he said would be sent to the House for approval.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2010 that the IPC constituted an effective domestic remedy to address property claims by Greek Cypriots. (CNA)

By Constantinos Psillides

Greek Cypriots spent €11.6 million in the north and in Turkey in 2014, according to data published by card processing company JCC on Friday, as Turkish Cypriots spent €16 million in the government-controlled areas.

Of the €11.6 million, €6.5 million were spent in the north while €5.1 million were spent in Turkey.

JCC said €3.6 million were spent on hotels and casinos, €2.9 million on aeroplane tickets, and €1.4 million in entertainment.

Turkish Cypriots on the other hand spent the bulk of their money in supermarkets, clothing, and DIY stores.

According to JCC, €3.5 million were spent in supermarkets, €3.0 million on clothing stores, €2.2 million in DIY stores and €2.5 million in other retail stores.

Local card use in general rose 4.0 per cent last year, compared with 2013.

The total value of transactions using local cards in 2014 exceeded €2.3 billion, according to JCC.

However, purchases and cash withdrawals made by Cypriots with local cards abroad dropped in 2014 by 8.0 percent compared with 2013, falling to €1.2 billion

In the same year, the use of foreign cards in Cyprus registered a 16 per cent increase, reaching €632.4 million.

In December, the use of local cards fell by 2.0 per cent to €217.7 million compared with December 2013, unlike purchases and withdrawals by Cypriots abroad, which amounted to €100.8 million — a 4.0 per cent rise.

The value of transactions made with foreign cards in December also went up by 19 per cent, reaching €32.6 million.

According to the data, in December there was an increase in payments made with local cards to the government sector, while a decrease was recorded in payments for petrol, clothing and shoes, DIY and household stores, and supermarkets.

Four fishermen, one Greek Cypriot, 33, and three Egyptian crewmen, were due in court in the north on Friday after being arrested off the north western coastline on Thursday.

The court hearing is due to take place in Morphou, the Cyprus News Agency reported.

The men were fishing off Kokkina in the St Raphael trawler when they were approached by Turkish Military in a small vessel and arrested for entering ‘Turkish Cypriot waters illegally’.

They were taken to Kokkina and later to Limnitis and interrogates at a police station. The UN has been informed, CNA said.

The oldest woman in the north has died at the age of 106, Turkish Cypriot media reported on Thursday.

Melek Oylum, whose husband died 30 years ago, lived alone in the village of Kornokipos, in the Famagusta district.

In an interview a few months ago, the mother of six said she had never taken any medicine until recently and that she did not smoke or drink alcohol.

Oylum said she ate wild plants she collected herself, and meat from animals she reared.

She also ate a teaspoon of honey morning and night.

On March 16 the German Court of Appeals will issue its final decision on the fate of the remaining 85 treasures stolen by a Turkish art smuggler from the north as effort to reach an amicable settlement by February 13 has failed, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The treasures, including fragments of church wall paintings, icons, a manuscript of an Armenian gospel and 40 prehistoric antiquities, were found in 1997 in the possession of Turkish dealer in illicit antiquities Aydin Dikmen in apartments he maintained in Munich. A total of 173 looted treasures found in Dikmen`s possession in Munich have already been repatriated to Cyprus.

CAN said it had learned that although the German judge in December made a final attempt for an out-of-court friendly settlement by February 13, and despite the fact that there was a mutual proposal on behalf of the lawyers of the two sides, the Turkish dealer raised new claims which were rejected by the Cypriot side. Furthermore, the Turkish side responded to the Cypriot side`s proposals after the deadline, giving a negative answer.
Following this development, the German Court of Appeals is expected to issue its final decision on March 16.

A first conciliation procedure was proposed in 2008, but the effort collapsed.

One of the biggest cases of illicit trading in antiquities involving Dikmen was the plundering of the wall paintings from the church of Ayios Euphemianus and the 6th century wall mosaics from the Church of Panayia Kanakaria.

In October and November 1997 the German Police raided apartments maintained by the Turkish dealer in Munich. The number of works of art they uncovered, hidden behind a false wall, was massive.

The records kept by Dikmen have been submitted as evidence at the Bavarian Court. The detailed way in which he kept his records was unprecedented, according to CAN. They included photographs and sketches prior to the theft of the mosaics and wall paintings, photos taken during their removal and after. (CNA)

The number of registered voters in the north numbers 176,912, according to Turkish Cypriot press reports on Tuesday.

Turkish Cypriots go to the polls on April 19 to elect a new leader. There are seven candidates running in the election.

The main four are current Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, former chief negotiator Kudret Ozersay, former ‘prime minister’ and current ‘parliament speaker’ Sibel Siber, and veteran politician Mustafa Akinci.

Afrika newspaper reported that of the registered voters, 55,763 are in the northern part of Nicosia,  456,912 in Famagusta, 35,397 in Kyrenia, 20,809 in Morphou and 18,951 in Trikomo.
 

By Agnieszka Rakoczy

HONEST, trustworthy, committed to finding a solution to the Cyprus problem – not descriptives traditionally associated with local politics, especially in the heated rhetoric of a political campaign. Yet these are the qualities most often heard when talking about Mustafa Akinci, one of the two candidates in today’s runoff in the ‘presidential’ election in the north.

More interestingly, these opinions are shared on both sides of the divide. “The moment I met him I knew I could work with the man,” legendary former mayor of Nicosia Lellos Demetriades told the Sunday Mail, recalling their association in the late 70s. Then, he and Akinci, who was mayor of north Nicosia at the time, faced the pressing need to find joint solutions to a range of shared problems they and the divided capital faced.

“It was 1976 and nobody talked to each other. But we both took the risk and one day Mustafa crossed the line in a UN car, and came to my house for dinner. I hired a waiter for the evening, who happened to know everybody on the island, including all the Turkish Cypriot politicians. He almost fainted when he saw Akinci and Osman Orek (the first defence minister of the Republic of Cyprus) walking in.”

The two former mayors continue to be very close friends. Over the years they have travelled the world together explaining how and why those early efforts born of necessity helped lay the groundwork and became the model for subsequent cooperative ventures between the two Cypriot communities.

The two collaborated on a joint sewerage system for Nicosia as a whole, which remains in place today.

The blueprint for what became the Nicosia Master Plan evolved from their shared vision that one day the city would once again be a singular entity.

Former Nicosia mayor Lellos Demetriades had a close relationship with Akinci

Demetriades attributes their success to mutual trust and respect plus the fact that each was motivated by concern for the common good.

“Obviously it took us a while to start trusting each other completely but once we did, everything else was easy. No matter what the problem was we knew we could find a solution to it because we were both working not for ourselves but for the good of the city.” With a smile, he recalled how all their agreements were verbal – not once had they ever signed a contract.

“We were the first Cypriot politicians to achieve this level of trust. Of course, we had the longstanding example of how the island’s merchants would seal business transactions with one another simply on the basis of a handshake.”

They knew they could trust each other. And that too was the basis on which Demetriades and Akinci proceeded with the business of looking after their city.

This resonates with Fikri Toros, the head of Cypriot Turkish Chamber of Commerce. He notes that Akinci has the support of the majority of the Turkish Cypriot business community, which actively supports a Cyprus solution in the firm belief that a settlement will bring significant economic benefits to both sides of the divide.

Toros views Akinci as a man with high level of diplomatic and communication skills. He points out how, despite having stepped away from a political career in 2009, Akinci’s reputation as one of the north’s most trustworthy politicians remains steadfast.

“He has a reputation of being genuinely committed to the solution and is seen as somebody who will not sacrifice it for any further political benefits,” Toros says. Added to this, he believes the high regard Akinci is held in among many Greek Cypriots and in the international community “would be very helpful in the negotiation process”.

Toros, for one, sees this as being very important, maintaining that compromise is only possible “if you have full faith and trust in your counterpart”. Akinci’s reputation “would be a great advantage”, he claims.

Some fans also say that Akinci is the only Turkish Cypriot politician who has faced Ankara squarely and consistently, never having been afraid to call a spade a spade when discussing relations between the north and Turkey.

In support of this, they often cite an incident involving Akinci and a Turkish general in 2000.
Akinci, then the north’s ‘deputy prime minister’, called for a “constitutional” amendment that would make the local police force and fire brigade accountable to the “interior ministry” and not be accountable to the Turkish-Cypriot armed forces, run by the general (appointed by Ankara).

The affronted general publicly accused Akinci of treason, prompting Akinci to call a news conference where he announced that “the commander has become too big for his boots”.

This, for many Turkish Cypriots, signalled a significant turning point. For the first time, one of their own politicians had dared to say openly to Ankara: “We don’t want to be treated like a baby any more. We want an equal relationship.”

International relations expert Ahmet Sozen points out that if he was not afraid of saying those words then, ‘he is not afraid of saying them now’.

He hastens to add that this does not mean Akinci would have a rancorous approach to Ankara. “He is not going to fight with Turkey – he just wants to have a discussion. He is very rational.”

So, is it fair to ask, does this 67-year-old politician present himself as a flawless icon?

There are those who claim he has been known to show an authoritarian side.

“He is Cypriot after all,” said daily Kibris’ deputy news editor Serhat Incirli. “He can sometimes be aggressive during debates. But then, as we all know, being a Cypriot means being a professor on every subject.”

Lellos Demetriades recognises and defends the trait. “Every good mayor must have a streak of a dictator in him, otherwise he cannot be a good mayor. There are decisions that have to be taken and you know if you take them everybody will hate you. But if you don’t they will haunt you for ever.”

Sener Levent, editor of Afrika, the north’s most vocal opposition paper, believes the biggest danger Akinci faces if elected is becoming too attached to the presidential chair, a not uncommon failing among the political elite not just here in Cyprus but in most political establishments elsewhere too.

“I told him that and he said he agreed with me,” said the journalist.

“He said the time for the solution is now and this is how he will act.”

THE EU Infopoint office, which aims to bring the Turkish Cypriot community closer to the European Union, has been inaugurated in the northern part of Nicosia.

“The office will help Turkish Cypriots satisfy their need for information on issues of the European Union through activities and a dynamic presence on social media,” the office of the representation of the European Commission in Cyprus said in an announcement.

The EU Infopoint, which was inaugurated by Director General for Regional and Urban Policy Directorate of the European Commission Walter Deffaa, is open to the public, civil society organisations, the media, academics, schools, companies and members of the farming community, the announcement said.

“This office is an excellent example of a modern and attractive space and I am sure it will have many visitors and will do a great job in raising awareness on issues concerning the EU and the aid programme to the Turkish Cypriot community,” Deffaa said.

It also provides information on the EU’s policies and legislation through brochures, booklets and online media and it plans to organise events, seminars, conferences and workshops.

The EU Infopoint is a 30-month project that will run until mid 2017.

For information visit www.abbilgi.eu

Police on Monday arrested a foreign national in Larnaca suspected of being involved in the transport of vehicles to war-torn Syria through the breakaway state in the north of the island.

The vehicles were transported to Turkey and their final destination was Syria, police said.

Two other foreign nationals were arrested in Limassol.

“So far there is no connection with anything else,” police spokesman Andreas Angelides said.

The three suspects were arrested during a police operation in Larnaca and Limassol.

In Larnaca, officers searched the home of a 37-year-old who was detained for questioning.

“It appears he is involved in the transport of two vehicles to the occupied areas and then Turkey with Syrian being the final destination, a fact that he admitted during questioning,” Angelides said.

In Limassol, police arrested two men aged 39 and 38, who were arrested in connection with illegal possession of property after officers found mobile phones, two computers and two tablets.

The two men were expected to be released later on Monday.

A suspected case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), also known as the human form of mad cow disease, has been reported in the north.

There may also be a second possible case, but it has not been confirmed, Turkish Cypriot media reported on Wednesday.

Daily Kibris Postasi said 60-year-old man had been diagnosed after showing symptoms of the disease and was in critical condition.

Yeniduzen’s website reported later on Wednesday that the man had died.

Speaking to the paper, the son of the patient said that the man was admitted to hospital on the suspicion that he had Creutzfeldt-Jakob. The doctors said that the possibility that he had the disease was 99 per cent.

A statement from the Turkish Cypriot health services said the case was not 100 per cent confirmed but they would issue another statement once they had received the results of blood tests, which had been sent to France for analysis.

The newspaper said there were also suspicions that a second patient at the same hospital in northern Nicosia was showing similar symptoms.

CJD is a degenerative neurological disorder that is incurable and fatal. It I also referred to as a human form of bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE, which causes brain tissue to degenerate rapidly.

Following the report of the death of one of the two suspected patients, the health ministry said it had requested information through the bi-communal committee on health. “According to information, one patient died and samples were sent for confirmatory diagnosis, the results of which are expected in the coming days,” the ministry said.

“Danger of transmission to the wider population is significantly low since the form of the disease is not transmitted through simple everyday contact with the patient,” the health ministry said.

It added that CJD was very rare with a frequency of one case per one million each  year. It could only be transmitted if a healthy person came into contact with brain, eye or spinal cord tissue from an infected patient.

“The contact point for suspected cases in the government controlled areas is the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics…,” the ministry said.

WHILE the role of ‘President’ in the north’s “constitution” may be primarily symbolic, the outcome of today’s run-off election is of key significance because whichever candidate wins he will become not just the internationally recognised leader the Turkish Cypriot community but in that capacity also takes on the mantle of chief Turkish Cypriot representative at the negotiating table.

Both Dervis Eroglu and rival Mustafa Akinci have repeatedly asserted their commitment to a solution of the Cyprus problem in the course of the election campaign.

The question that remains is just what kind of solution do they believe in.
Eroglu, for many years ‘prime minister’ of the ‘TRNC’, has always been seen as a champion of the division and proponent of recognition of the illegal state.

Nevertheless, even his adversaries allow that since becoming ‘president’ in 2005 he has engaged in the negotiations, first with Demetris Christofias and then President Nicos Anastasiades.

In his election campaign, he promised Turkish Cypriots that with Turkey’s Navtex finished, and once Anastasaides expressed willingness to do so, he would be ready to return to the negotiating table but the proviso would be his insistence on a two-year time-limit for negotiations, other options to be discussed in the absence of results, including a referendum in his own community to decide how to proceed.

He also wants the property issue to be settled mainly on the basis of exchange and compensation; returns should be limited; and resolution of the Varosha issue must be part of the overall solution.

Meanwhile, perceived by many as a the conciliatory, pro-solution candidate, Akinci made clear during the campaign that if elected he has no intention of re-starting the talks with any ‘red lines’ but made clear he might consider a timetable were he convinced that the other side lacked good intentions.

Akinci pledged to prioritise the Varosha negotiations and said he would try to reach agreement with the Greek Cypriots about opening it under United Nations administration in exchange for the easing of restrictions on direct trade and direct flights. This offer would be delinked from the comprehensive negotiations. He contended that such a move would help catalyse the overall negotiations and contribute to building peace.

Similarly, Akinci supports broader implementation of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to support and supplement the peace process and ultimately prepare people on both sides for a federal solution.

When it comes to issues other than the Cyprus problem, Akinci’s positions are equally clear. He shares the concerns of many young Turkish Cypriots, for instance, many of whom care about gender, human rights, animal rights and the environment.

This is an important distinction between the candidates, one not to be under-estimated, according to political analyst Dr Omur Yilmaz.

«Politics on these issues has always been muted and overshadowed by the endless parochial discussions on the Cyprus problem,» she maintains, serving to «depoliticise» many young people. Akinci’s positions and his willingness to discuss these issues resonate with the young and has given many of them a reason to engage in the political process as voters, volunteers, and supporters.

By Angelos Anastasiou

Turkish Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday that a solution to the Cyprus problem was possible within the year if both sides were determined, and that the time to discuss the issue of guarantees was not now, but in the final stage of the negotiations.

In a joint press conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in the north, Cavusoglu said that negotiations to settle the Cyprus problem were ongoing, and at the end of the road map there would be a five-party summit, where issues like guarantees could be discussed.

“Talking about such matters now, and bringing them to the fore, is pointless, and to no one’s benefit,” he said.

“When the time comes we will announce our position and our views.”

Akinci said that Cavusoglu and the Turkish foreign ministry honestly believe that the time for a settlement has come.

“The time has come for our community to live in Cyprus with equality and security, and the negotiations are aimed in this direction,” he said.

The Turkish Cypriot leader expressed the hope that together with President Nicos Anastasiades, with whom he will meet on Thursday, they will be able to go all the way, so that “younger generations can have a different future in Cyprus”.

On behalf of Ankara, Cavusoglu welcomed the resumption of talks this month, after the nine-month hiatus since last October. He voiced support for the leaders’ decision to meet bi-weekly, with their negotiators holding more frequent sessions.

“If both sides are determined, a permanent solution for permanent peace can be achieved within the year,” the Turkish Foreign minister said.

“On Turkey’s part, we have the determination we showed in 2004, and even more – this is not a concession, as the press sometimes claims, but Turkey’s resolve for a permanent solution. And I see the same resolve in Mr Akinci, [Turkish Cypriot negotiator] Ozdil Nami, and the members of the negotiating team.”

Cavusoglu said he hopes that the determination shown by the Greek Cypriot side so far increases, so that a positive result can be achieved.

“A solution will be to the benefit of everyone, and Cyprus will turn into an island of peace and growth,” he said.

“We will continue to support the Turkish Cypriots, financially and otherwise. But our strongest support is for the ongoing negotiations, and we hope to come to a permanent solution by the end of this year.”

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has condemned Turkey for a series of violations in the case of Panicos Tsiakourmas, a Greek Cypriot who was abducted in December 2000 from the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) in Dhekelia by Turkish Cypriot police.

The Strasbourg-based Court did not find any violation with regards to the abduction of Tsiakourmas.

According to an ECHR announcement, Tsiakkourmas complained that his abduction from the territory of the SBA had been in violation of national and international law as regards his right to liberty and security.
The applicant complained that he had been unlawfully remanded in custody without being adequately informed as to why he could not be released and without being able to challenge the lawfulness of his detention.

Concerning the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment, Tsiakourmas also complained of the ill-treatment inflicted on him during his arrest.
The applicant, following his abduction by four men in civilian clothes claimed to have been beaten, kicked and punched, after being threatened with a gun. He was blindfolded and questioned before being presented with a bag containing drugs, which had allegedly been discovered on him.

He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for smuggling drugs, the Turkish government claimed before the Court.
On Tuesday, the Court notified in writing its judgment. It found there has been no violation with regards to the alleged ill-treatment of the applicant. However, it decided that there was a violation with regards to Tsiakourmas` right to a thorough investigation of his claim for ill-treatment and that he had not been adequately informed as to why he could not be released, and for not being able to challenge the lawfulness of his detention.
The applicant had not submitted a claim for just satisfaction. (CNA)

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) has called on Turkey to give access to a greater number of military zones in the north in the search for the remains of missing persons.

A resolution adopted during a Committee of Ministers special meeting in which it examined the state of implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), welcomed the progress made by the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) in the search for and the identification of missing persons and noted in this respect that 2014 was a landmark year as regards the number of persons identified.

It highlighted however that due to the passage of time, “the necessity for the Turkish authorities to adopt a proactive approach to providing the CMP with all the assistance it needs to continue to achieve tangible results as quickly as possible”.

The resolution goes on to “invite” the Turkish authorities “of their own initiative” to give it access to a greater number of military zones as well as to continue to provide all relevant information, including that which may come from military reports and archives;

It also called the Turkish authorities to keep the Committee informed of progress in all investigations, including steps to be taken, in line with the Court’s settled case-law and invited delegations wishing to transmit written questions to the members of the CMP as well as to the Turkish authorities to submit them to the CoE Secretariat by the end of September 2015. In March 2016 the issue would be considered again, it said.

In addition, the resolution recalled that the obligation to pay the just satisfaction awarded by the ECHR was unconditional and invited the Turkish authorities to pay the sums awarded by the Court in cases concerning Cyprus.

The list of missing persons includes 1,508 Greek Cypriots, 43 of whom went missing between 1963-`64 when intercommunal violence broke out in Cyprus. The list also includes 493 Turkish Cypriots, 229 of whom are thought to have been lost during the period 1963-1967. Some 264 Turkish Cypriots went missing during 1974.

Figures from March this year showed that so far 435 identifications of Greek Cypriots were carried out and 138 on Turkish Cypriots. Approximately 200 cases are in the stage of anthropological or genetic analysis, while 100 Greek Cypriot missing cannot be identified and the remains of 800 missing persons are still to be located. In most of the cases the families of the missing persons have given DNA for the appropriate analysis. Thirty-four of the exhumation sites are in ‘military zones’  in the north. However not all of these sites are actually military camps.

The exhumation process is being carried out by seven teams in the north and two in the south. Each unit comprises four scientists, two Greek Cypriots and two Turkish Cypriots.
A huge problem came to light this years was the removal and relocation of remains, making the job of identification even more difficult.