Friday, January 27, 2006

Cyprus seeks international court recourse of British guarantor duties

"Cyprus seeks international court recourse of British guarantor duties

CYPRUS has proposed to Britain to file a joint recourse to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to resolve the differences between the two countries on the interpretation of the international law that derives from the Treaty of Establishment, which Britain signed as a guarantor power.

Speaking after his meeting with Archbishop of America Demetrios, Foreign Minister George Iacovou said the reasons which Cyprus proposed to Britain for the joint recourse to the Court were Britain’s obligations to the Republic of Cyprus as a guarantor power, the fact that it did not avert the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the loss which the island suffered from the invasion, the Turkish settlement as well as the different interpretation of the Treaty of Establishment.

However, he said Britain would likely hide behind a reservation it had submitted to the Court, whereby it prohibits members and former members of the Commonwealth from recourse to The Hague against the former colonial power."

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