'Record agreement was timed for best effect'.

Byline: Simon Bahceli

A RECORD payment of over e1/422 million by the Turkish Cypriot Immoveable Properties Commission (IPC) to two Greek Cypriots refugees was timed to create maximum political effect during a crucial stage in negotiations to resolve the Cyprus problem.

The claim was made yesterday by a source close to the Turkish Cypriot administration.

"The Turkish Cypriot side is trying to convince the European Court of Human Rights that what the commission offers is an effective remedy to property disputes in Cyprus," the source said yesterday.

He added that the two Greek Cypriots receiving the compensation had likely been "carefully chosen" because of the impact the resolution of their cases would have on a decision awaited from the ECHR on whether or not the IPC did indeed constitute an "effective remedy". A decision on the matter is expected from the ECHR early next year.

Though several cases of compensation

If the ECHR does decide that the IPC offers a "genuine and effective remedy", the European Court could then order that some or all of the approximately 1,400 Greek Cypriot property claims filed at the ECHR be redirected to the Turkish Cypriot-run commission. In such an outcome, only Greek Cypriots dissatisfied with offers made by the commission would be allowed to file cases at the ECHR.

Though there have been a reported 81 claims agreed through the property commission, the Cyprus Mail could not confirm whether any money has been transferred to Greek Cypriot applicants.

Head of the IPC Semer Erkman yesterday confirmed to the Mail that the two Greek Cypriots had "amicably agreed" to accept the offers made by the commission for financial compensation, but denied that any thought had been given to the timing of the payment offer.

"They applied two to three years ago, but we believed their claims were too high. We negotiated and it has taken this long to come to an agreement," Erkman insisted.

The north's IPC was set up in 2006 in answer to criticism from the ECHR that Turkey and its "subordinate Turkish Cypriot administration" failed to offer an "effective local remedy" for Greek Cypriots seeking recompense for properties they lost in the north.

With its establishment, Greek Cypriots were able to apply to the Turkish Cypriot authorities to regain ownership rights to their properties. Previously, only financial compensation and the right to exchange lands in the north for Turkish Cypriot-owned properties in the south were on offer.

Since its founding, the commission has received 432 applications from Greek Cypriots, a small minority of whom wish to return to their properties in the north.

So far 81 cases have been resolved "amicably", with most seeking financial compensation. A smaller number have requested to exchange their lands in the Turkish-controlled north for abandoned Turkish Cypriot-owned lands in the south.

The two Greek Cypriots, one of whom has been named in the Greek Cypriot press as Nicos Severis, applied for financial compensation rather than the right to return.

According to sources in the north, Severis will receive GBAu12 million for 42 donums of land in Kyrenia and 9.5 donums in Nicosia. The other unnamed Greek Cypriot will receive GBAu9.5 million for 500 donums in the village of Kaputi near Morphou.

Interestingly, the Kaputi lands have been absorbed into the grounds of the Cyprus campus of Turkey's Middle East Technical University (ODTU). Both payments were made from the coffers of Turkey rather than those of the Turkish Cypriot administration.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2009

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