Readers mail…….
Richard Chamberlain………
Many cyprusscene readers will have read the letter which I sent on 29th July to UK PM, Mrs May and Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson (click here to view). In many comments about it in social media pages, many readers felt a reply would not be sent.
I did receive a reply on 23rd August by email but the reply as under does not clarify the issues I raised so I have sent a further email as you will see following asking for a more specific reply.
In addition I am writing again to UK PM, Mrs May and Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson asking them a number of specific questions to facts I have made known and I will bring more news of this when a response is forthcoming.
“Dear Mr Chamberlain,
Thank you for your letter of 29 July to the Foreign Secretary, about Cyprus. The Central Correspondence Unit in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been asked to reply.
We recognise that the status quo in Cyprus causes serious difficulties for Turkish Cypriots and we support measures aimed at reducing their isolation. The UK remains committed to supporting the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community and bringing Turkish Cypriots closer to Europe, including through financial aid and trade liberalisation from the EU. We also support the European Commission’s proposal for a direct trade regulation to enhance the Turkish Cypriot community’s access to EU markets. Disagreements over the legal basis mean that has, unfortunately, not yet been agreed.
You also mention the lack of direct flights from the UK to the northern part of Cyprus. The UK Court of Appeal has confirmed that direct flights to Ercan airport would, in fact, breach the UK’s obligations under international law, specifically the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation. As a result, no airlines are licensed to operate flights from the UK direct to the north of Cyprus.
Yours sincerely,
Central Correspondence Unit
Foreign and Commonwealth Office”
My reply to the above by email below:
Dear Sirs,
Thank you for replying to my email about the North Cyprus Embargo.
If you don’t mind me saying so, you have put in the email things which I would like more information on. For example: “The UK remains committed to supporting the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community and bringing Turkish Cypriots closer to Europe, including through financial aid and trade liberalisation from the EU”.
Can someone give me and my Turkish Cypriot friends more detail of what is being done. That statement doesn’t mean much to us and we would like someone to specifically tell us what the UK are doing. Please give us some examples.
Secondly, it says in the email, ” We also support the European Commission’s “proposal” for a direct trade regulation.” Then, “Disagreements over the legal bases means that has not been agreed”.
Who is holding it up or disagreeing with it? The Greek Cypriots? They will do everything in their power to try to object to anything connected to the Turkish Cypriots. The Biggest mistake the EU made years ago was to allow the South Greek Cypriots into the EU after they rejected the Annan Peace Plan, while the Turkish Cypriots voted to accept it! At that time the EU and UN and UK said they would offer help and assistance to the North.
But NOTHING came of it. No help was given. The EU and the rest of the world should hold its head in shame the way they have treated Northern Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriots. If it wasn’t for Turkey helping them, and their army keeping the peace, goodness knows what would happen. We, would like some detailed answers on the above.
Lastly, regarding my last email to the Prime Minister and Boris Johnson, I specifically asked about the new flight regulations brought in at Istanbul airport, where passengers have to disembark for “further security checks”.
This beats me. If we were all checked at the UK or Ercan (North Cyprus) airports before getting on the plane, while we were in the air, what opportunity have we had to acquire any explosive devices to endanger life or the plane. For many years, we have been allowed to sit on the plane at Istanbul, and there has NEVER been any problem, but now the old and disabled and mothers with children have to struggle off the plane, walk to the terminal, be searched again, and then struggle back to another plane, all because some faceless beaurocrat has decided this is what he wants.
In your email you must have misunderstood what we were complaining about. You mentioned again “Direct Flights”. We know there is no chance of direct flights yet. Not like the Greek Cypriot side!
Anyway, I think I have covered most of the comments in your email, so I and my Turkish Cypriot friends look forward to a more detailed reply. Thank you for your last reply.
Best Wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Richard Chamberlain
There is so much to be said but unfortunately no one who’ll listen. But I will just say this; You should All be ashamed of yourselves for treating a peaceful and innocent community in this fashion and you are suppose to be one of the Countries which introduce yourselves as ”Great Britain’ to the World. I ask you… by making all these Un-just and Racist unacceptable decisions to people who’s only fault is to be Muslims by making their lives a missery, how Great a Nation are you??
Levant, Thank you for your heartfelt comment. Do you think it is worthwhile emailing that to the department I have been dealing with. If so, the email address is cfocorrespondence@cfo.gov.uk. The more of us who email different comments the better it will be. Best Wishes, Richard
Keep at it, Richard, well done. I think I would also have asked your two targets if they can mention one single act the UK has performed since 1960 to “support” Turkish Cypriots economically, culturally or politically, in support of their (completely vaccuous) claim; and whether they would consider cancelling the notorious “Memorandum of Understanding ” between HMG(Gordon Brown) and the RoC, which seeks to limit the TRNC economy by refusing to let them moderate their own degrees etc etc.
Levant, Britain will always be “Great” in the sense in which the word is used here:the conquering Normans named it Grande Bretagne to distinguish it from the (presumably “Little”) Bretagne, Brittany, which they had left behind in mainland Europe.
Dear Chris and Margaret
Reading in Cyprusscene today the letters Mr Richard Chamberlain wrote to UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and the reply he has had is of very significant importance to the Turkish Cypriot people. I would strongly recommend that since Cyprusscene is the front runner in this promotion it should go one more step and send the UK’s Foreign Secretary’s department answering email to every TRNC Ministry including the President and the TC’s Minister responsible for Cyprus affairs and also the Turkish Ambassador. It is also of importance that the TRNC Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Industry, Hoteliers Association, Travel Agents Association and the International and local press and TV, and everybody should be informed of this wonderful answer Mr Richard Chamberlain had to his justified questioning letter to the UK Government and Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary about the non recognition of the TRNC.
Of course there will be a lot more correspondence from Cyprusscene and Richard Chamberlain and supporting comments made available to the UK, EU, UN and all other western countries pointing out what the EU promised before and after the referendum of 2004.
The Cypriot Turkish people said yes and the Greek side said NO (OXI) to the UN’s ANNAN PLAN but they never kept to their word to help the Turkish Cypriots and instead they kept on rewarding the newly made member to EU, the Greek side, and kept punishing the Turkish side with continued and increased embargoes by the now more powerful Greeks with the help of the EU so let the world know what the answering letter says to Mr Richard Chamberlain and what goes on in Cyprus is not the same or doesn’t the British High Commissioner inform the London Foreign office of the facts???
Respectfully yours
With thanks to cyprusscene, Mr Richard Chamberlain and UK’s Foreign Office
John Aziz Kent
Honorary President
Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Association