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A University of Sussex DPhil thesis Available online via Sussex Research Online: http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/ This thesis is protected by copyright which belongs to the author. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Please visit Sussex Research Online for more information and further details University of Sussex Thesis for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy on the subject of the European Human Rights Law with emphasis on the Cyprus Question: Land Claims and Human Rights Arguments before the European Court of Human Rights Bugem Galip (January 2014) Statement I hereby declare that this thesis has not been and will not be, submitted in whole or in part to another University for the award of any other degree. Signature ........................ Bugem Galip Table of Contents Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….i Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…ii Abbreviations …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iv General Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1 Chapter 1: The Cyprus Property Dispute in a Historical Perspective Introductory Remarks ........................................................................................................................... 20 1.1 The Ottoman Period and the British Colony ................................................................................... 22 1.2 Towards the Republic of Cyprus and the Division of the Island ..................................................... 26 1.3 Two Communities with Two Contradictory Perspectives and Property Mechanisms………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………35 1.3.1 Turkish Cypriot Perspective on the Property Issue and the Regulations on the Abandoned Greek Cypriots’ Properties in the North ............................................................................................... 38 1.3.2 Greek Cypriot Perspective on the Property Issue and Regulations of the Abandoned Turkish Cypriot Properties in the South………………………………………….…………………………….42 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….45 Chapter 2: Concept of Property and Property Rights Within the Context of International Law and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (P1-1) to the European Convention on Human Rights Introductory Remarks………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………47 2.1 A Guarantee for the Protection of Property Rights and the ‘Three Distinct Rules’ Within the Ambit of Article 1, Protocol No.1 to the ECHR (P1-1)………………………………………………………49 2.1.1 The Structure of P1-1 to the ECHR…………………………………………………………………………………………..53 2.1.2 The Second Rule of P1-1: Deprivation of Property……………………................................................56 2.1.2.1 A Legitimate Interference with Property Rights …………………………………………………………………. 58 2.1.2.2 The Requirement of Lawfulness ………………………………………………………………………………………….60 2.1.2.3 The Principle of Proportionality …………………………………………………………………………………………..63 2.1.2.4 Compensation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….65 2.1.3 The Third Rule of P1-1: Control of Use……………………………………………………………………………………67 2.1.3.1 Control of the Use of Property in the General Interest…………………………………………………………68 2.1.3.2 Control of the Use of Property to Secure Payment of Taxes and Other Contributions or Penalties……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….70 2.1.4 The First Rule: The Peaceful Enjoyment of a Possession …………………………………………………………71 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….78 Chapter 3: Cypriot Property Claims Before the European Court of Human Right Introductory Remarks………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………82 3.1 The Landmark Case in the History of Human Rights Law and in the Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights: Loizidou v. Turkey ……………………………………………………………84 3.1.1 Significant Findings in the case of Loizidou v. Turkey……………………………………………………….………88 3.2 The case of Cyprus v. Turkey (The Fourth Interstate Application of Cyprus v. Turkey)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….98 3.3 The Cypriot Property Saga Has Taken Yet Another Turn with the Case of Xenides-Arestis v. Turkey……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 106 3.4 The Last Stop for the Property Claims: Demopoulos v. Turkey and 7 other cases……………………..117 3.5 Determination of Whether Law no. 67/2005 and the IPC Provide Practical and Effective Remedies ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….126 3.6 The Property Regime of the Annan Plan and its Impact on the Cyprus Rulings of the Strasbourg Court……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………140 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..146 Chapter 4: Requirements of the Right to Property Within the Meaning of the ECtHR Cyprus Rulings Introductory Remarks ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………148 4.1 State Obligations Within the Context of P1-1of the ECHR………………………………………………………..149 4.2 Is the ECtHR Assessment on Interference with Property Rights Stable?..................................... 157 4.3 The Application of P1-1 of the ECHR to Cyprus Property Cases ……………………………………………….159 4.4 Continuing Nature of Alleged Violations…………………………………………………………………………………..164 4.5 Fair Balance Test…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 169 4.6 The Interaction Between the ECtHR Case Law and the Issue of the Cyprus Property Dispute ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 172 4.6.1 Legal Impact of the Interaction Between the ECtHR Case Law and Cyprus Property Cases ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………173 4.6.2 Social Impact of the Interaction Between the ECtHR Case Law and Cyprus Property Cases ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………177 4.7 Legal Impact of Cyprus Property Cases on ECtHR Rulings…………………………………………………………178 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….186 General Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 189 Bibliography • Primary Sources……………………………………………………………………..201 • Secondary Sources…………………………………………………………………. 204 2.1.3.1 Control of the Use of Property in the General Interest…………………………………………………………68 2.1.3.2 Control of the Use of Property to Secure Payment of Taxes and Other Contributions or Penalties……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….70 2.1.4 The First Rule: The Peaceful Enjoyment of a Possession …………………………………………………………71 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….78 Chapter 3: Cypriot Property Claims Before the European Court of Human Right Introductory Remarks………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………82 3.1 The Landmark Case in the History of Human Rights Law and in the Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights: Loizidou v. Turkey ……………………………………………………………84 3.1.1 Significant Findings in the case of Loizidou v. Turkey……………………………………………………….………88 3.2 The case of Cyprus v. Turkey (The Fourth Interstate Application of Cyprus v. Turkey)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….98 3.3 The Cypriot Property Saga Has Taken Yet Another Turn with the Case of Xenides-Arestis v. Turkey……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 106 3.4 The Last Stop for the Property Claims: Demopoulos v. Turkey and 7 other cases……………………..117 3.5 Determination of Whether Law no. 67/2005 and the IPC Provide Practical and Effective Remedies ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….126 3.6 The Property Regime of the Annan Plan and its Impact on the Cyprus Rulings of the Strasbourg Court……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………140 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..146 Chapter 4: Requirements of the Right to Property Within the Meaning of the ECtHR Cyprus Rulings Introductory Remarks ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………148 4.1 State Obligations Within the Context of P1-1of the ECHR………………………………………………………..149 4.2 Is the ECtHR Assessment on Interference with Property Rights Stable?..................................... 157 4.3 The Application of P1-1 of the ECHR to Cyprus Property Cases ……………………………………………….159 4.4 Continuing Nature of Alleged Violations…………………………………………………………………………………..164 4.5 Fair Balance Test…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 169 4.6 The Interaction Between the ECtHR Case Law and the Issue of the Cyprus Property Dispute ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 172 4.6.1 Legal Impact of the Interaction Between the ECtHR Case Law and Cyprus Property Cases ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………173 4.6.2 Social Impact of the Interaction Between the ECtHR Case Law and Cyprus Property Cases ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………177 4.7 Legal Impact of Cyprus Property Cases on ECtHR Rulings…………………………………………………………178 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….186 General Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 189 Bibliography • Primary Sources……………………………………………………………………..201 • Secondary Sources…………………………………………………………………. 204 i SUMMARY This thesis presents a critical analysis of the property rights in terms of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (P1-1) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to the property conflict in Cyprus. The theme that runs through the paper is whether property disputes in Cyprus have had an impact on the established case law of the European