Greek Cypriots warm to open Kokkina crossing- report

Turkish Cypriots earlier this year offered to open Limnitis if the government agreed to the construction of a road linking the mixed village of Pyla to the Turkish side of the island. But Greek Cypriots rejected the proposal.

 

The Greek Cypriots have now warmed to discussions on the enclaved Kokkina crossing, the Cyprus Mail reported.

 

Greek Cypriots want a crossing to be opened at Limnitis that would allow the Greek Cypriot residents of Pyrgos to travel directly to Morphou, which is only a few miles away, instead of having to take the long route south and via Nicosia, the newspaper said.

 

Cyprus has been divided since 1964 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to withdraw into enclaves.

Talat and Christofias began peace talks in September after a four-year hiatus, marking the first major push for peace since the failure of a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.

Travel to Kokkina would be limited to civilians only, the newspaper also quoted Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat as saying.

Access would be denied to all military vehicles, and no military ordnance would be allowed via this access point, Talat added.

 

"This is a fully justified request, but so far we have not received an answer (from the Greek Cypriot side)," he said.

 

"We have put forward a very reasonable proposal. Kokkina is part of the territory of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and we are asking for free access by land. We have also included the condition that no military personnel or vehicles would make use of this road," he also said.

 

Greek Cypriots were considering the idea, the Cyprus Mail quoted Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias. The Greek Cypriot leader added that Talat was "speaking only half the truth".

 

The Turkish Cypriot leader had forgotten to mention that his side was also asking that gasoline be allowed into Kokkina for the purpose of refueling Turkish troops there, he added.

 

"We have no objection to people crossing through (to Kokkina), but as far as the refueling of occupation troops go, I don’t know who would agree to this," said Christofias.

 

"Are we now to give our consent to the refueling of Turkish troops?"