OPEN LETTER
TO PRIME MINISTER
OF ENGLAND
The Rt Honourable Prime Minister
Theresa May MP
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA
15 November 2017
Dear Prime Minister
Your speech in London on 13 November 2017
I have read with interest the transcript of your meaningful and timely
speech which was delivered on 13 November 2017 to the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in
London.
speech which was delivered on 13 November 2017 to the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in
London.
I agree with you that the United Kingdom has the capability to overcome
the difficulties and challenges ahead not only due to the Brexit negotiations
but also due to the wider challenges facing the world today.
the difficulties and challenges ahead not only due to the Brexit negotiations
but also due to the wider challenges facing the world today.
I would only correct one point, however. You claimed that “Russia’s
illegal annexation of Crimea was the first time since the Second World War that
one sovereign nation has forcibly taken territory from another in Europe”. This
is misleading. On 20 July and 14 August 1974 respectively, Turkey launched two
invasions of the Republic of Cyprus, a European sovereign state and a member of
the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Council of Europe. *Since 2004,
the Republic of Cyprus has also been a member of another European institution,
the European Union.)
illegal annexation of Crimea was the first time since the Second World War that
one sovereign nation has forcibly taken territory from another in Europe”. This
is misleading. On 20 July and 14 August 1974 respectively, Turkey launched two
invasions of the Republic of Cyprus, a European sovereign state and a member of
the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Council of Europe. *Since 2004,
the Republic of Cyprus has also been a member of another European institution,
the European Union.)
As a combined consequence of its two invasions, Turkey occupied,
ethno-religiously cleansed and forcibly took 36 per cent of the territory (and
57 per cent of the coastline) of the Republic of Cyprus. All these years later,
Turkey continues to occupy this territory.
ethno-religiously cleansed and forcibly took 36 per cent of the territory (and
57 per cent of the coastline) of the Republic of Cyprus. All these years later,
Turkey continues to occupy this territory.
These two Turkish invasions were carried out with what amounted to
collusion with the then British Government led by Harold Wilson (the Prime
Minister) and James Callaghan (the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary). Both
consciously refused to stop the Turkish invasion forces and to honour a British
guarantee to the Republic of Cyprus. By the actions and omissions of this
Labour Government, the United Kingdom breached its moral and legal
responsibilities deriving from the Treaty of Guarantee which had been signed by
Sir Hugh Foot, for the United Kingdom, in Nicosia on 16 August 1960.
collusion with the then British Government led by Harold Wilson (the Prime
Minister) and James Callaghan (the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary). Both
consciously refused to stop the Turkish invasion forces and to honour a British
guarantee to the Republic of Cyprus. By the actions and omissions of this
Labour Government, the United Kingdom breached its moral and legal
responsibilities deriving from the Treaty of Guarantee which had been signed by
Sir Hugh Foot, for the United Kingdom, in Nicosia on 16 August 1960.
For the record, I refer a High Court judgment in the case of Catlin v
Cyprus Finance Corporation (London) Ltd [1983] Q.B. 759, as delivered by Mr.
Justice Bingham (the great judge who later became Lord Bingham of Cornhill and
a future Master of the Rolls, Lord Chief Justice and Senior Law Lord). The words
of Mr Justice Bingham reveal the true nature of what Turkey accomplished by
force in 1974 and how human beings suffered as a consequence:
Cyprus Finance Corporation (London) Ltd [1983] Q.B. 759, as delivered by Mr.
Justice Bingham (the great judge who later became Lord Bingham of Cornhill and
a future Master of the Rolls, Lord Chief Justice and Senior Law Lord). The words
of Mr Justice Bingham reveal the true nature of what Turkey accomplished by
force in 1974 and how human beings suffered as a consequence:
“‘In the summer of 1974 the Turkish invasions of Cyprus took place. The
consequences for the plaintiff and her children were catastrophic. All their
property was in the area of Famagusta which was sealed off by Turkish troops;
the flat they were living in was bombed and their furniture badly damaged.
After six months under canvas in a refugee camp on one of the British Sovereign
Bases, she and the children were able to return to Famagusta by courtesy of the
Turkish occupying forces and they have since then been living in the flat of a
German lady dispossessed by the troubles. Their own flats remain inaccessible
and may in any event be uninhabitable…”
consequences for the plaintiff and her children were catastrophic. All their
property was in the area of Famagusta which was sealed off by Turkish troops;
the flat they were living in was bombed and their furniture badly damaged.
After six months under canvas in a refugee camp on one of the British Sovereign
Bases, she and the children were able to return to Famagusta by courtesy of the
Turkish occupying forces and they have since then been living in the flat of a
German lady dispossessed by the troubles. Their own flats remain inaccessible
and may in any event be uninhabitable…”
With characteristic precision, Mr Justice Bingham correctly referred to
the Turkish invasions and the Turkish occupying forces. He did so at a time
when so many people were misleadingly talking about the Turkish “intervention”
and the Turkish “Peace Operation”, the latter of which was a phrase used by the
Turkish Prime Minister on the day of the first invasion. Mr Justice Bingham
also used correct terminology in the very year in which the de facto
authorities in the Turkish-occupied area purported to make a ‘Unilateral
Declaration of Independence’. This UDI was made on 15 November 1983, exactly
thirty four years ago.
the Turkish invasions and the Turkish occupying forces. He did so at a time
when so many people were misleadingly talking about the Turkish “intervention”
and the Turkish “Peace Operation”, the latter of which was a phrase used by the
Turkish Prime Minister on the day of the first invasion. Mr Justice Bingham
also used correct terminology in the very year in which the de facto
authorities in the Turkish-occupied area purported to make a ‘Unilateral
Declaration of Independence’. This UDI was made on 15 November 1983, exactly
thirty four years ago.
I commend your stance in defining the British spirit and the fundamental
values of fairness, justice and human rights. However, these values have been
consistently denied to the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, a sovereign
state built on territory which had previously been a British Crown Colony. I
regret to say that your misleading comment of 13 November 2017 has added insult
to this long-standing injury.
values of fairness, justice and human rights. However, these values have been
consistently denied to the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, a sovereign
state built on territory which had previously been a British Crown Colony. I
regret to say that your misleading comment of 13 November 2017 has added insult
to this long-standing injury.
In the interests of fairness and justice, I hope that you will
immediately apologise and retract your misleading assertion that “Russia’s
illegal annexation of Crimea was the first time since the Second World War that
one sovereign nation has forcibly taken territory from another in Europe”. I
also hope you will clarify that, in 1974, 29 years after the end of the Second
World War, Turkey launched two invasions of the Republic of Cyprus and that
Turkey proceeded to occupy, forcibly take and ethno-religiously cleanse a
substantial proportion of its territory, which is situated in Europe.
immediately apologise and retract your misleading assertion that “Russia’s
illegal annexation of Crimea was the first time since the Second World War that
one sovereign nation has forcibly taken territory from another in Europe”. I
also hope you will clarify that, in 1974, 29 years after the end of the Second
World War, Turkey launched two invasions of the Republic of Cyprus and that
Turkey proceeded to occupy, forcibly take and ethno-religiously cleanse a
substantial proportion of its territory, which is situated in Europe.
I look forward to hearing from you, so that the public record may be
corrected.
corrected.
Yours respectfully
Fanoulla Argyrou
Researcher/journalist/author
London.
Source: INTERNATIONAL HELLENIC ASSOCIATION-IHA (USA).
ΛΕΞΕΙΣ-ΚΛΕΙΔΙΑ: ΑΓΓΛΙΑ, ΒΡΕΤΑΝΙΑ, ΚΥΠΡΟΣ, ΜΕΙ, ΑΡΓΥΡΟΥ
