Press Releases, Statements, Notes/Articles and Letters INITIATIVE BY TURKEY ON CYPRUS, 24 JANUARY 2006 Cyprus a reminder CYPRUS: WHAT HAS HAPPENED? Highlights of the UNSG´s report Cyprus (Historical Overview) What the World Said Before the Referanda What the World said After the Referanda The Annan Plan and the Greek Cypriot “NO”: False Reasons and Claims Greek Cypriot state terror revealed Confidence Building Measures (1992-1994) Meaningful Anniversary Of The Cyprus Peace Operation Turkish Parliament Proclaims Solidarity With TRNC And Demands Equal Treatment For The Two States On The Island Resolution By The Turkish Grand National Assembly On 21 January 1997 Circular Note Sent To The Embassies Of The EU Member States Concerning The Greek Cypriot Application To The EU, 30 June 1997 Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on the establishment of an Association Council Resolution Adopted By The Legislative Assembly of The TRNC March 9, 1998 Aide-Memoire By The TRNC To The British High Commission In Nicosia, 26 March 1998 Documents Given By President Denktas To The UN Secretary-General During Their Meeting In Geneva- 28 March 1998 Resolution of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, 15 July 1999 Treaty Provisions And Basic Documents With Regard To The EU Membership Of Cyprus British Professor of International Law Prof. H. Mendelson Q.C.'s opinion on the legal aspects of the one-sided membership application of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus to the European Union Final communique of the annual coordination meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the States members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference ( United Nations, New York 28 September 2004, 14 Shaa'ban 1425 H - para. related to Cyprus) Report of the Secretary-General Kofi Annan on his Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus, 28 May 2004 Report of the Secretary-General Annan on the United Nations operation in in Cyprus, 3 December 2007 The Status of the Two Peoples in Cyprus Edited By Necati Münir Ertekün Greek Cypriot Attempts To Purchase Missiles From Russia And The Resulting Danger For The Peace And Stability In Cyprus EU and Cyprus:An Expert View Opinion of Professor M.H. Mendelson Q.C on the Application of “the Republic of Cyprus” to Join the European Union Grand Deception, Korkmaz HAKTANIR, Founding Member of the Cyprus Foundation '' BARBARIE A CHYPRE '' Le Soir Illustré 1967 The Need for New Perspective on Cyprus
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  5. British Professor of International Law Prof. H. Mendelson Q.C.'s opinion on the legal aspects of the one-sided membership application of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus to the European Union
British Professor of International Law Prof. H. Mendelson Q.C.'s opinion on the legal aspects of the one-sided membership application of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus to the European Union

The prominent British Professor of International Law Prof. H. Mendelson Q.C., has prepared a comprehensive opinion on the legal aspects of the one-sided membership application of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus to the European Union. This legal opinion of Professor Mendelson has been published as a UN General Assembly and a Security Council document.

Professor Mendelson in his research dated 12 September 2001, revisits his earlier opinions of 1997 especially in light of the arguments to the contrary advanced by the Greek Cypriot Administration.

In this Legal Opinion, Professor Mendelson puts forward strong reasoning and evidence to prove that the Greek Cypriot Administration's arguments have no validity from the legal perspective.

The main conclusions that Professor Mendelson reaches on Greek Cypriot's application to the EU can be summarized as follows:

Greek Cypriot Administration's application to join the EU is a breach of the relevant provision of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee which stipulates that "Cyprus" cannot participate, in whole or in part, in any political or economic union with any State whatsoever, in which both Turkey and Greece are not members. Such application constitutes a breach of the Treaty of Guarantee, as well as the legal and political state of affairs established by the 1960 Agreements and the international commitments contained in them.

*The Guarantor States are also legally bound to prevent all activities which directly or indirectly aim at assisting the accession of "Cyprus" to the EU, which is prohibited by international Treaties. Therefore, United Kingdom and Greece are under legal obligation to prevent such attempts.

*Members of the EU, other than the Guarantor States, also carry a responsibility to prohibit coming into effect of such unlawful application.

There is no legitimate authority that represents both Parties in Cyprus. This application which has been made on behalf of the whole island, to which the Turkish Cypriot party did not give her consent" is legally null and void.

Professor Mendelson's Opinion reconfirms the fairness and validity of the views expressed by Turkey from the outset. We expect the members of the European Union to make the necessary assessment in light of these relevant provisions of international law and to take the necessary steps in order to stop this unlawful application by the Greek Cypriot Administration.

Despite all the objections raised by the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, if this application is to be taken forward, this will inevitably bear serious legal and political consequences and have negative implications for the region.

NOTE: The text of the legal opinion of the British International Law Professor Mendelson (Further Opinion of Professor M.H. Mendelson Q.C. on the application of the Republic of Cyprus to join the European Union-89 pages) can be maintained from the official website of the UN.