Orams ruling no substitute for Cyprus political settlement

10.39.00am GMT Wed 20th Jan 2010

Commenting on yesterday's Court of Appeal ruling that David and Linda Orams have to surrender their land in northern Cyprus to its original Greek Cypriot owner, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford said:

"The Cyprus property issue should not be settled in British courts in this way. A political solution re-uniting the island has to be found between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities."

"It is inconsistent that while north Cyprus is currently excluded from EU legal and economic rights, a British court is used as a conduit for enforcing EU law on that territory through the principle of mutual recognition. These disputes should be settled via the North Cyprus Property Commission, a body set up with the approval of the European Court of Human Rights."

"A real fear is that this judgement may prejudice the political talks, which are at a key stage. That would be tragic, and I urge the parties, whatever the feelings, to stay focussed on a positive outcome. The goal must be that at last all Cypriots become full EU citizens without the absurd distortions which the current division creates."

ENDS