Strasbourg, 25/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has just addressed a further appeal to order to Turkey that has still not carried out the ruling passed down by the European Court of Human Rights, on 28 July 1998, in the Loizidou case. In its resolution, the Committee stresses that "Turkey's refusal to carry out the Court ruling demonstrates a manifest disregard for its international obligations, both as High Contracting Party to the Convention and as Member State of the Council of Europe". It calls on Turkey to comply in full and without additional delay to the Court ruling.
EUROPE recalls that this ruling imposes on Turkey to pay 300,000 Cypriot pounds for material damage, and 20,000 CYP, for moral damage, to a Greek-Cypriot prevented since 1974 to go to his lands in the northern part of the island. Turkey argued the existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to shrug off any responsibility, but the Court had rejected this argument as (1) the TRNC has no international recognition and (2) States parties to the European Convention on Human Rights are held to respect their obligations not only on their territory but also when, following military action, legal or not, they in fact exercise control over an area situated outside their national territory. Execution of the ruling would mean implicit recognition of Turkey's responsibility in Northern Cyprus