NORTH CYPRUS STAMPS & POSTAL SERVICES: Turkish Cypriot stamps of Northern Cyprus is one of the most sought after stamps in the world today, due to the international status of the country, and the peculiarities of its situations. Below is given the historical account of the development of the Turkish-Cypriot Posts, by Jeff Ertughrul, whose article appeared in the Stanley Gibson Magazine. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TURKISH-CYPRIOT POSTAL ADMINISTRATION: Peace did not come to the island with the independence, in 1960, from Britain. Fighting between two communities broke out in December 1963 and, within months, a de facto separation of the two peoples had emerged with the Turkish-Cypriots concentrated in a number of enclaves scattered throughout the island. The simplest way to study the resultant Turkish-Cypriot postal services is to examine them stage by stage. The postal services were commenced on the morning of 6 January 1964. Post Offices in the Turkish sectors of Famagusta, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Kyrenia and Lefke were opened on the same date, although there was little postal activity in and around Nicosia. The Turkish-Cypriot Administration introduced a handstamp on the same date to cancel ordinary Cyprus adhesive stamps with the words "Kibris Turks Postalari" (Turkish Cypriot Postal Services).As the bulk of the Republic's stocks of stamps were held in Ataturk Square post office there was no lack of supplies. The handstamp had a fixed commemorative date 6.1.64 at the base of the design. The Administra- tion also introduced a second type, which had a star in place of the date. Although the same types of handstamp were used in all areas, they are distinguishable due to their having been handmade; the imperfections identify the towns where each was made. Table below shows Kibris Turk Postalari cancellations that have been definitely identified. ----------------------------------------------------- Table of identified `dated' and `star' Kibris Turk Postalari Cancellations: TYPE OFFICE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS Date Nicosia Date close to inner rings Date Nicosia Date more central between the rings Date Nicosia A gap between B and R, in KIBRIS Star Nicosia Bar under I, of POSTALARI Star Nicosia No bar Star Nicosia Large bar under I, rings incomplete Star Famagusta KIBRIS, in small thin letters Date Famagusta Smaller, clearer lettering, than Nicosia Star Larnaca Dent in outer rings just past POSTALARI Star Limassol Small clear lettering consistent all round Date Paphos Break in inner circle under O, of POSTALARI Star Lefke Thick, mushy cancel, material too soft Star Kyrenia Prepared but never used ------------------------------------------------------------------ I. POSTAL EMBARGO: (6 January, 1964 - 14 October, 1970) During this period, the Greek Cypriot postal administration forbade any post to and from Turkish-Cypriot areas, including their postal agencies. Philatelists often had their letters returned handstamped, noting that the agency was `not known'. Turkish-Cypriot overseas mail went via Red Crescent, Red Cross, British Forces Air Mail, United Nations Forces Air Mail, or the diplomatic bags of friendly embassies. One exception was the enclave of Famagusta and its 33 villages. The Turkish town of Famagusta dominates the harbour; the Greeks needed the harbour and the Turks, the Postal Services. In spite of the trouble all over the island, Greeks and Turks carried on working together in the port and consequently post moved unrestricted in this area. Covers from this period especially with GR, ER, and VR cancellations are worth looking for. On 14 November 1964 a postal agreement was signed between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots with the aid of UNFICYP (United Nations Forces in Cyprus). According to this agreement all stocks of stamps and stationery held at Ataturk Square Post Office and all money received from these sales would be handed back to the Greek Cypriots. In return, the Greek Cypriots would allow ordinary and international mail to and from Turkish Cypriot areas and enclaves. In spite of this agreement, the service remained restricted and covers from this period are very rare. II. POSTAL SERVICES: (8 April, 1970 - 20 July, 1974) By April 1970 two parallel postal administrations existed side by side. Therefore, Cypriot Philatelists were not surprised when on 8 April, 1970 the Turkish Cypriot Postal Administration issued two stamps for internal use. The currency, although in mils, was shown in petals and each petal equalling one mil. These stamps were cancelled by a line canceller generally in black ink, sometimes in blue, with the datestamp of the post office applied clear of the stamps. On 29 October, 1973 the administration released seven values to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. Along with the new stamps, new postmarks were introduced in Turkish. The cancellations are the type normally used in Turkey, a single ring datestamp with date / time group in a straight line across the centre. The office name at the top and the code letter at the base. To enjoy a very limited postal communication with the outside world, the Turkish-Cypriots had to follow the Greek Cypriot regulations and handle mail in the usual way, but within their sealed off communities, the local post operated, covering the whole island except for Turkish Cypriot villages which were isolated within the areas of Greek Cypriot control. III. A NEW ERA: 1974 and ONWARDS The EOKA-B coup, which temporarily deposed the administration of Archbishop Makarios, broke out on 15 July, 1974. After frantic diplomatic action between the three guarantor powers (Britain, Greece and Turkey), Turkey intervened on 20 July by landing troops from the sea at Kyrenia and parachute forces throughout the northern Nicosia plain. Eventually the island was divided by the so-called Green line and new post offices appeared throughout the Turkish Cypriot Northern Cyprus, at Guzelyurt (Morphou), Lefkonuk (Lefkonico), Kyrenia (Girne), Lapta (Laphitos), Iskele (Trikomo), Yenisehir-Nicosia (Nicosia BO 4), and Degirmenlik (Kythrea). At the same time, the offices at Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos were closed by the Greek Cypriot administration who had taken over the Turkish Cypriot quarters in these towns. IV. THE NEW REGISTRATION: The next important development was registration. Of the covers which passed through the registered post system in these early days, when the registration slips were still of the Republican type but with Turkish style cancellations, the rarest are probably those with Kyrenia registration slips, but with Lefkosa (Nicosia) postmarks. One of the newer offices opened by the Turkish Cypriot Postal Administration -Degirmenlik- started the next phase in the story. Early in January, 1974 it was issued with a rubber handstamp roughly 33 mm long and 12 mm wide. This was divided into two sections, with the upper left blank for the town name in manuscript and the lower with a capital letter R and the item number. By the end of April, all post offices in the Turkish Cypriot zone were issued with new style registration handstamps, normally (38 mm x 10 mm) showing the town name used in conjunction with a second (45 mm x 13 mm) containing the registration symbol and number. During this period, the new office opened at Yenisehir-Nicosia, initially the registered handstamp was accompanied by the town name in manuscript, but by the beginning of June, 1975 both Yenisehir and the main Nicosia proper had been issued with new registration handstamps (45 mm x 12 mm) containing the town name and registration mark combined. In these two cases, the R symbol was on the left, the town name on the top, and the registration number at the bottom of the strike. Rarest item in this `rubber stamp' period is certainly the Lefkonuk (missing F) rubber stamp dated 12 April, 1975. By the end of June, 1975 the temporary rubber stamp period had drawn to a close and all post offices in the Turkish Cypriot Northern Cyprus had been issued with standardised, printed registration labels. But what a fascinating period of development for any postal historian to work on. V. NEW VILLAGE HANDSTAMPS: On 27 July, 1974 the Turkish Cypriot Postal Administration requested new postmarks for 146 villages from PTT of Turkey. The Turkish Republic Post Office agreed to make the new handstamps in their workshops as a gift to Turkish Cypriot Postal Administration. The new handstamps were the type used in Turkey dated in Arabic and Roman numerals. The Director of Posts Mr Hasan Fedai, and his assistant Mr Aysel Erduran, went from village to village teaching the agents how to use the new headstamps. The issue of the new headstamps was very well organised with advance publicity. Also to lessen the burden, both of collectors and on the administration, it was decided that the postmarks would be issued in three stages, Lefkosa (Nicosia) district was issued on 1 August, Magusa (Famagusta) district on 8 August, and Kyrenia (Girne) district on 15 August. Two villages in Famagusta and some villages in Kyrenia were shown as being under Nicosia, and two villages of Nicosia have been shown under Lefke. Apparently this indicates the destination of the village post not the administration district. In Famagusta, half of the villages were shown as Magusa, and the other half as Gazi Magusa, a title conferred on the town in recognition of the bravery of its inhabitants during the 1974 war. However, it seems that some of the headstamps were prepared before the honour had been bestowed on the town. The village of Pile (Pyla) is unique; this village has two headstamps and two agencies, each controlled by their own administration (Greek and Turkish). VI. TURKISH CYPRIOT POSTAL SERVICES: (1975 - To Date) Since 1975, the Turkish Cypriot Post Office has managed to hold a stamp issue policy of four to five commemorative sets a year, mostly covering Cypriot themes with one or two exceptions. Credit must go to the former Director of the Posts, Mr Hasan Fedai, and Mr Aysel Erduran, both ex-officers of the old colonial and republican post office days. Also their British training has been invaluable in developing Turkish Cypriot Postal Services. Among the best issues of North Cyprus since 1975 have been: - the Tourist issue, 1975; - Turkish Monuments in Cyprus, 1977; - EUROPA, 1978; - Historical Monuments, 1980; - Flowers, 1981; and - Flowers, 1982; Slogans have also been kept to a minimum of four to five a year. A SUGGESTED FRAMEWORK: Those wishing to build a collection of material relating to the Turkish Cypriot Postal Administration and stamps of Northern Cyprus might like to follow the following guidelines. - 1964 (January to September): Kibris Turk Postalari headstamps. - 1970 to 1974: Social Aid stamps, Turkish Cypriot Revenue stamps used postally. - 27 July 1974 to 13 February 1975: Red Cross, Red Crescent postal services, autonomous Turkish Cypriot Administration stamps valid in the North Cyprus and international mail. - 13 February 1975 to 14 November 1983: Turkish Federated State of Cyprus internal and international mail. - 15 November 1983 to day: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus internal and international mail. From: Jeff Ertughrul, `Postal Services of Northern Cyprus', in Stanley Gibson Magazine, June 1990. .