With the nearness of Cyprus to Israel and Lebanon highlighted by the flight of refugees from the current war, a Greek interest newspaper said it has uncovered evidence that Arabs and Israeli investors are targeting properties in northern Cyprus that were abandoned by their former Greek owners when Turkey invaded the island in 1974.

Properties being bought up include hotels and possible casino locations, and land bought and sold a number of times over the last 32 years, reported the London Greek News.

Its concern is that the trend could be a source of further conflict on the island – both between Arabs and Israelis, and because of the land disputes still continuing between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and their governments.

The latter could reignite when a reserve judgement by the High Court is announced later this year, leaving the investors with shaky titles.

On one side are the Orams, an English couple represented by among others Cherie Blair, wife of the Prime Minister. On the other is Greek Cypriot Meletios Apostolides.

The Orams built a house on land abandoned by Apostolides, and he wants it back. He won the to this before a Cypriot court, but because his land is in the occupied north, he has been unable to enforce the decision locally. With the backing of the Cypriot Government he has brought his case to the High Court, seeking compensation in the UK.

The Orams case is that they have been caught up in a struggle that was not of their making, they were not aware of the prior claim and had language difficulties when dealing with legal paperwork, including that involved in the Cypriot court case.

For the Orams, Cherie Blair argued that as northern Cyprus falls outside the Republic of Cyprus and hence the European Union, UK courts have no power to enforce a decision in north Cyprus. Further, the question of land rights and restitution are political issues that will have to be resolved at governmental level, and until this is achieved UK courts should do nothing to disrupt the status quo.

For Apostolides it was argued that the Republic of Cyprus is the only recognised government in Cyprus and as it is a member of the EU, the UK had no right to question the judgements of its courts - which in any case applied appeals procedures much as in the UK. Cyprus had two official languages Greek and Turkish, but not English.

Mr Justice Jack reserved judgement, acknowledging the substantial implications of the outcome, and that he would need time to consider the arguments.


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