STRASBOURG
The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Turkey to pay €90 million in compensation to the Greek Cypriots due to the Turkish military's peace operation in the north of the island in 1974.
This is the first time Turkey has been sentenced to pay such compensation in an international case.
The Greek Cypriot administration had filed a lawsuit in 1994 over the displacement of Greek Cypriots and people who went missing during the operation.
The court on Monday found Turkey guilty of violating European human rights agreements, saying that the whereabouts of 1,491 Greek Cypriots is still unknown and 211,000 Greek Cypriots were forced out of their homes.
Families of missing persons will receive €30 million of the compensation while the remaining €60 million will be given to Greek Cypriots on the Karpass Peninsula.
The island of Cyprus has remained divided into Greek and Turkish parts since a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by a Turkish peace mission to aid Turkish Cypriots in the north in 1974.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
