Research Article

The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property

Volume: 81 Number: 1 May 31, 2023
  • Cüneyt Yüksel
  • Mustafa Erçakıca
EN TR

The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property

Abstract

Varosha is actually within the sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and has been closed to civilian settlement and visits since 1974. This unit of Famagusta is known to have the status of a military zone. The attempt to open part of Varosha to settlement has made this area an important matter again. Turkish Cypriots were the party that demonstrated a desire to resolve the Cyprus problem through the Annan Plan referendums. The parties that attempted to open part Varosha to settlement were the Republic of Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriots. Nevertheless, they are the actors who are most criticized regarding the Cyprus problem. In order to eliminate these criticisms, the steps for opening Varosha to settlement should be taken very carefully. The Immovable Property Commission currently falls within the borders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and is also an important part of the issue. Applications regarding the ownership of properties in Varosha will come before the Immovable Property Commission, and the Commission should make decisions to prove it is an effective domestic remedial mechanism. The decision of the Supreme Court regarding the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to take the land registration records from July 20, 1974 as a basis for ownership applications in Varosha poses a problem, especially in terms of the various property rights claims of the Cyprus Foundations Administration (Kibris Vakıflar İdaresi). The records dating from July 20, 1974 regarding Varosha indicate Greek Cypriots as the property owners. The Cyprus Foundations Administration should bring its claims to the fore, both internationally and nationally, with substantial evidence. Under the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, one should not forget that opening Varosha to settlement can be considered a confidence-building measure, and Turkish Cypriots can also gain benefits in this case by opening Varosha to settlement.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Law in Context

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Cüneyt Yüksel This is me
0000-0001-8580-6967
Türkiye

Mustafa Erçakıca This is me
0000-0003-0197-1207
Türkiye

Publication Date

May 31, 2023

Submission Date

November 7, 2022

Acceptance Date

April 25, 2023

Published in Issue

Year 2023 Volume: 81 Number: 1

APA
Yüksel, C., & Erçakıca, M. (2023). The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası, 81(1), 227-260. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2023.81.1.0004
AMA
1.Yüksel C, Erçakıca M. The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası. 2023;81(1):227-260. doi:10.26650/mecmua.2023.81.1.0004
Chicago
Yüksel, Cüneyt, and Mustafa Erçakıca. 2023. “The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property”. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası 81 (1): 227-60. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2023.81.1.0004.
EndNote
Yüksel C, Erçakıca M (May 1, 2023) The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası 81 1 227–260.
IEEE
[1]C. Yüksel and M. Erçakıca, “The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property”, İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası, vol. 81, no. 1, pp. 227–260, May 2023, doi: 10.26650/mecmua.2023.81.1.0004.
ISNAD
Yüksel, Cüneyt - Erçakıca, Mustafa. “The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property”. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası 81/1 (May 1, 2023): 227-260. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2023.81.1.0004.
JAMA
1.Yüksel C, Erçakıca M. The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası. 2023;81:227–260.
MLA
Yüksel, Cüneyt, and Mustafa Erçakıca. “The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property”. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası, vol. 81, no. 1, May 2023, pp. 227-60, doi:10.26650/mecmua.2023.81.1.0004.
Vancouver
1.Cüneyt Yüksel, Mustafa Erçakıca. The Varosha Dispute: The Partial Opening Initiative and the United Nations’ Approach and Evaluation of the Issue of Property. İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası. 2023 May 1;81(1):227-60. doi:10.26650/mecmua.2023.81.1.0004