Greek Cypriot President concerned over property sales ahead of talks

NICOSIA - Hürriyet

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades smiles before testifying to a judicial panel in Nicosia August 27, 2013. REUTERS photo

Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has expressed his concerns over the transfer of a significant number of properties to Turkish Cypriots on the island, calling on the Greek Cypriots to stop selling their property to Turks.

Before recent talks, which revived hopes for a solution on the island, Anastasiades said this transaction would weaken their hand at the bargaining table.

“Let them realize that without wanting to, or even out of necessity, they create negative conditions for freedom, reunification and the bargaining power to bear on the table”, he said. 

Anastasiades also called on the Turkish authorities to take “bold steps” to prove their determination to implement the resolutions of the United Nations.

A U.N. peace plan aiming to reunify the island was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a 2004 referendum. But soon after their negative vote, the Greek Cypriots were rewarded with EU membership.

U.N.-brokered negotiations were suspended in mid-2012, as Turkish Cypriots walked out, protesting against the south taking the EU’s rotating presidency.