To whom it may concern,
It has come to our attention that one of your articles published online (24th September 2013), in the ‘Travel’ section and written by Fred Mawer (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2427096/North-Cyprus-Splendid-isolation-Meds-great-secret.html), titled “The other side of Cyprus:.”, promotes the illegally occupied by Turkish forces, northern part of the Republic of Cyprus, as a peaceful holiday destination. By supporting and promoting an illegal pseudo-state, a result of the brutal Turkish military invasion, the article as well as your newspaper, is in direct conflict with many UN resolutions and International law. In addition, your actions ignore the extensive and on-going violations of human rights which occur from the day Turkey invaded Cyprus, a country which is a full member of the European Union since 2004. The pseudo-state that Mr Mawer promotes, the so-called “TRNC”, is recognised only by Turkey and represents nothing more but four decades of pain and suffering of the 200,000 refugees, the families of the 1619 missing persons and the descendants of the thousands of brutally murdered soldiers and civilians.
UN Resolution 550 (1984): “Reaffirms the call upon all States not to recognise the purported state of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” set up by secessionist acts and calls upon them not to facilitate or in any way assist this, the aforesaid secessionist entity.” The Council of Europe, responding to Cyprus΄ Interstate Applications, has found Turkey, through the relevant reports of the European Commission of Human Rights, responsible for serious violations of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, in the part of Cyprus occupied by Turkey (Cyprus v. Turkey, Joint Apps. 6789/74 and 6950/75, 26 May 1975; Cyprus v. Turkey, App. 8007/77, 10 July 1978). In addition, the European Court of Human Rights in its decision regarding the Fourth Interstate Application by the Cyprus Government against Turkey, (Cyprus v. Turkey, App.25781/94, Judgment of 10 May 2001), finds Turkey guilty of gross violations of human rights in Cyprus and in continuing violation of a number of articles of the ECHR (Articles 3, 8, 9, 10, 13 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol 1 to the Convention). Furthermore, in the landmark case of Titina Loizidou, a Greek-Cypriot refugee from Kyrenia, the European Court of Human Rights held that the denial to the applicant of access to her home in the occupied by Turkey territories of Cyprus and the loss of control of her property was imputable to Turkey and its subordinate local administration. The Court ruled that Loizidou remains the legal owner of her property in Kyrenia, and that Turkey is in violation of the European Convention not allowing her to access her property (Loizidou v. Turkey, (Merits), Case no. 40/1993/435/514, Judgment of 18 December 1996).
Upon these facts, we request some explanations as to why Mr Hower has chosen to promote this illegal and pseudo-state by exerting to advertise attractive packages, thereby encouraging tourists to visit the occupied areas, stay in hotels (namely the “Rocks Hotel”) and visit places previously owned by the Greek Cypriots and taken away from them by force in 1974. His frivolous attempt to ‘calm’ the prospective tourists by saying that “[crossing] the border [… is…] quick and hassle free’ by simply flying into the Republic of Cyprus and then crossing the border constitutes a further insult on what is considered to be illegal (i.e. direct flights to the occupied areas) by offering a way to bypass the condemned illegality of the pseudo-state. He effectively disregards, without hesitation, his earlier implied affirmation as to the banning of direct flights from the UK to the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus which is in accordance to the upheld Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and recently affirmed in the case of R. (on the application of Kibris Turk Hava Yollari) v Secretary of State for Transport [2010]. In spite of Mr Hower’s reference to an occupation of the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus the very focus he places on advertising and promoting tourism in the illegal pseudo-state merely ignores any recognition and condemnation of this crime of humanity.
Thank you in advance for your co-operation and understanding.
Yours sincerely,
Aristotle Glyky
Secretary of Expats and Foreign Relations
