Is it safe to visit North Cyprus

asks Jeff
A. It is safe to visit Norht Cyprus as a British tourist, especially if you stay in one of the resorts, and yes it is a lot cheaper than the south.

It is a controversial holiday destination, however. Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean, is virtually two countries. The north is occupied by Turkish troops (declared the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983 and recognised only by Turkey) and has been since they invaded the island in 1974, a huge military presence remains today. A 'Green Line' splits the island in half - creating a de facto partition - and is policed by UN troops. Holiday-makers have to choose between a Turkish holiday in the north, or a Greek one in the south (the Republic of Cyprus).

In addition, there have been recent concerns over human rights abuses in the north. In November 2000, two British Labour MPs (Andrew Dismore and Andy Love) tabled a motion in the House of Commons concerning a violation of human rights abuses in the north, in response to Cyprus' interest in joining the European Union. The motion stated that the House 'fears that the situation in Northern Cyprus is becoming more dangerous at a time when a solution and accession to the European Union is being discussed.' It noted 'that at 2am on 27 November the printing works where the newspaper Avrupa is printed was attacked with Molotov cocktails; notes this follows the arrest last July of the editor Shener Levent, trials of Turkish Cypriot politicians who have had articles published arguing for disengagement of the Turkish army from Turkish Cypriot civilian life and for a federal solution to Cyprus in Europe, and demonstrations and strikes since July about the economic situation in the unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.'

The motion added that the House 'is concerned that events this year in the north of Cyprus, in response to demonstrations, conflict with European ideas of human rights, freedom of speech and democracy and believes that the people who live there feel that their voices and interests are not being heard in the international discussions taking place on the future of the island.'

They called for the British government to make urgent representations to Turkey to institute a full independent investigation with international observers of these abuses of human rights and press freedom. This is currently being investigated.

Q. Is it possible to pass freely between the north and the south
A. If you entered Cyprus from the north (ie. from the Turkish section, no airlines land in the north as it is not internationally recognised) it is illegal to enter the Republic. You can, however, enter the north from the south on a day trip. But there are restrictions, you can only stay in the north for a certain amount of agreed hours (you usually have to return to the south by 5pm), if you are late returning to the south your name is likely to be placed on black list and you'll probably be prohibited from making the journey again. No luggage is allowed across the Green Line.

Q. If I crossed the border, how would I get around for the day
A. You will not be allowed to take a hire car across the Green Line, but once you cross the border you will be met by lots of Turkish taxi drivers willing to drive you around for the day. Your first destination is likely to be Kyrenia (also known as Girne) - a holiday hotspot before 1974 known as the jewel of Cyprus -which has a quaint harbour, labyrinthine streets and beautiful scenery.

Q. What is the currency in the north and is it easy to change money
A. In the north, the Turkish lira is legal tender, but you will also be able to use the Cypriot pound (legal tender in the south) and other hard currencies such as the US dollar or sterling. There are ATM machines in Nicosia, Famagusta and Kyrenia.

Q. When is the best time to visit
A. April-May and September-October are the best times. June, July and August can be unbearably hot. The south is a very popular holiday destination with British tourists, especially the resort of Aiya Napa which has overtaken Ibiza as the clubbing capital of the Med for the under 30s.

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By Karen Anderson