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GreekReporter.comUSAAKTINA Offered Open Dialogue on the Violations of Turkey on Cyprus

AKTINA Offered Open Dialogue on the Violations of Turkey on Cyprus

(L-R) Dr. Kostas Mavrides,Mr. Athan Tsimpedes, Elena Maroulleti, President AKTINA

Despite the bitter cold including parking difficulties created by the latest snow storm, more than 200 G/Cypriots and G/Americans, mostly from the new generations attended and participated in a vibrant discussion on Cyprus at the Stathakion in Astoria on January 31st. Under the title “The Ongoing Violations of Turkey on Cyprus – Decades later G/Cypriots stand a chance of suing the aggressor in U.S. Courts”, the discussion was presented by AKTINA FM and AKTINA TV, two highly rated media outlets on New York’s public station WNYE-91.5FM and WNYE-Channel 25, whose primary mission is the promotion and preservation of rich heritage, history and culture of Cyprus in America, as well as bringing awareness about the Cyprus problem and the national issues of Greece.

The very well received discussion moderated by Elena Maroulleti, President of AKTINA Productions, Inc., and Executive Producer/Host of AKTINA FM and AKTINA TV, gave the opportunity to all in attendance to participate in a very healthy dialogue and debate surrounding the theme in a very open minded atmosphere.

As previously announced, the discussion featured two speakers, Mr. Athan Tsimpedes a Greek American attorney from Washington-DC and Dr. Kostas Mavrides, a scholar, political analyst and columnist who came from Cyprus especially on this occasion.

Attorney Athan Tsimpedes focused his presentation on the merits of his class action lawsuit here in the U.S against Turkey and the self-proclaimed “pseudo state” in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus. Supported with slides, he outlined in detail the legal facts which support his case, while he also revealed documents that verify the illegal commercial activities in the US of Turkey and its puppet regime in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus. Furthermore, Mr. Tsimpedes revealed the involvement of the British bank HSBC in “laundering money”, as he said, stemming from the illegal sale of G/Cypriot properties in the occupied northern part of the island.

Mr. Tsimpedes also presented and distributed the U.S “Certificate of Occupancy” of the self-proclaimed TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus), that set up shop in Washington, DC which verifies that it operates as a commercial enterprise and not as government. “The pseudo state has offices, employees, hires attorneys, involves itself in litigation in the United States and is selling properties under false title and illegally representing itself as a government through its trade name the “TRNC” that subjects it to the jurisdiction of U.S courts”, he noted and further stressed that, “every time the pseudo state uses the TRNC logo it is violating the laws of the U.S and nations of the civilized world that have condemned the TRNC through UN resolutions. The United States does not recognize the illegal regime “TRNC”. Referring to the so-called “ambassador” of the “TRNC” in the U.S, Hilmi Akil, the attorney also stressed that, “he is not an ambassador, but a known lobbyist who enters the U.S under a business visa that supports the argument that the “TRNC” is a business and not a government”.

The audience also had the opportunity to be informed and see for the first time specific confidential documents about the conspiracies surrounding the 2004 UN Proposal for the settlement of the Cyprus question, known as the “Anna plan” and the current Cyprus negotiations underway on the island which were revealed by Dr. Kostas Mavrides. Dr. Mavrides was the first to expose these conspiracies in 2004 and more recently in 2010. The well known and outspoken scholar, who overwhelmingly supports the class action lawsuit spearheaded by Mr. Tsimpedes, explained that before he gave his “stamp of approval” to what the attorney is doing, he first dedicated more than nine months studying the case. “I stand before you today, very confident, and I can tell you that this case has many merits”, he stressed.

Another issue which was discussed by both speakers was the March 1, 2010 decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) which encourages G/Cypriots to seek compensation for their properties in the Turkish-occupied north by bringing their claims before the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) in the pseudo state. Both speakers stressed that ECHR’s decision does not force G/Cypriots to bring their claims before the IPC, but it rather “suggests” to them to do so and they both urged everyone to avoid this “avenue” because as they explained this will support the ongoing efforts of Turkey and of the pseudo state to eventually completely expel the rights of G/Cypriot refugees in the Turkish occupied north. As they further explained, every G/Cypriot who brings claims before the IPC, must surrender their Deeds in order to receive compensation. In this respect, if all G/Cypriots go before this “committee”, the result will be devastating because the G/Cypriots themselves will contribute to the legitimization of the ongoing occupation by losing their rights to their lands and properties.

Dr. Mavrides also revealed confidential documents that show the corruption within the ECHR and how Turkey and UN officials were able to influence the Court’s judge on the Apostolides vs. Orams case.

Referring to the event, Elena Maroulleti, President of AKTINA Productions, Inc., and Executive Producer of AKTINA FM and AKTINA TV stressed that, “since the 1974 Turkish invasion and the subsequent illegal occupation of Cyprus, all G/Cypriots who were forcibly expelled from the ancestral homes, including me, knew that Turkey violated U.S laws by utilizing American arms during its invasion and thereafter for its occupation of the northern part of the island. This was what we cried out during our demonstrators here in the U.S, however no one cared then and no one cares now, including the United Nations who instead of enforcing their numerous Resolutions on Turkey, they instead offer us unacceptable solutions to the Cyprus problem. We always wondered whether or not we can sue Turkey and pursue our justice through legal avenues. Finally, we can through this class action lawsuit and without jeopardizing the Cyprus talks currently underway and without giving any recognition to the self proclaimed pseudo state in the Turkish occupied northern part of the island. I am all for it and I also a participant. If we lose, at least we’ll have the satisfaction that at least we have made an effort”. Ms. Maroulleti, also expressed her sincere thanks to the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York and its National Issues Committee for placing the event under their auspices. “As I mentioned in my opening remarks during the event, AKTINA Productions, Inc., is a proud member of the Federation of Hellenic Societies and we are extremely thankful that the Federation always embraces all of our activities which in their majority are hosted at their Stathakion Cultural Center”, she stressed.

The event was attended by several representatives from various Greek Cypriot and Greek American community organizations and was greeted by the very Rev. Archimandrite Sebastian Skordellos who represented his Eminence Archbishop of America Demetrios who said that he also comes from the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus and found the presentations very enlightening and helpful, by Mr. Philip Christopher, President of the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus, Mr. Elias Tsekerides, President of Federation of Hellenic Societies, Mr. Kostas Tsentas, Executive VP of the Cyprus Federation of America and Mr. Theodoros Pavlakos, President of the National Issues Committee of the Federation of Hellenic Societies. All speakers congratulated Ms. Maroulleti, AKTINA FM and AKTINA TV for their ongoing commitment of promoting Cyprus through worthy programs and for giving the opportunity to the public to participate in this open discussion and debate. In addition, congratulatory letters and statements of support for Mr. Tsimpedes’ class action lawsuit were sent to AKTINA by Lobby for Cyprus from England and the Mayor of Karavas whose municipality has recently joined the lawsuit.

The event which was offered with free admission was sponsored by AKTINA Productions, Inc., a non-profit cultural organization as part of its ongoing mission and commitment of bringing awareness about the Cyprus problem. For more information about AKTINA, please visit www.aktina.org

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