TURKISH Cypriot officials yesterday vehemently denied accusations by the Cypriot government that preparations for a new crossing at Ledra Street were merely an attempt to score political points and to extend Turkish military presence in the area.
“We are simply doing our best to prepare our side of the crossing,” north Nicosia Deputy Mayor Semavi Asik told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.
“We are not playing politics, and the army is not upgrading installations. If anything, they have been downgraded through the destruction of a lookout post.”
Asik’s comments came in the wake of a barrage of accusations from the Cypriot government that Turkish forces had encroached onto part of the UN-controlled buffer zone over the weekend. The accusations were coupled with expressions of concern from the UN that the Turkish Cypriot side was acting unilaterally – something it sees as counterproductive to efforts to foster peace on the island.
Although the UN denied having seen any evidence of encroachment, one UN source told the Mail, “We would like to remind people that all crossing arrangements are bilateral and that unilateral actions don’t particularly help.” The source added that it would ultimately be a UN decision that would see the crossing open.
“We are responsible for the safety of those crossing the buffer zone, so it will not open until we are satisfied we can provide this.” The source went on to say that official studies into the opening of a crossing at Ledra Street estimated that it would take around eight weeks for all preparations to be made.
Asik, however, remained insistent that the Turkish Cypriot side would be ready to open the crossing in 20 days, “in time for Christmas and the New Year”. He was also at pains to show that the Turkish Cypriot side had not sought to act unilaterally by referring to joint visits into the buffer zone at Ledra Street by technical teams from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot municipalities.
These visits were carried out “with the full permission of the UN”, he said.
He added: “Although we did not have a written agreement, we discussed the matter time and again. And the only reason we didn’t have a written agreement was because the Greek Cypriot side did not want a written document they had signed that included reference to the Nicosia Turkish Municipality.”
Asik was yesterday forced to counter criticism that the footbridge being constructed at the crossing was not something included in EU and UN-sponsored plans for the crossing.
“The bridge only covers the area on the Turkish Cypriot side of the buffer zone. It does not enter the buffer zone at any point,” he said. Significantly, Asik did not shy away from admitting that the bridge was being built to allay the concerns of the Turkish military, which has forces stationed the entire length of the Green Line in Nicosia.
“When we first mentioned opening a crossing here, the military said it was too early for such a move. Building a bridge is how we have overcome this obstacle.”
He added that funding for the bridge had come from the Turkish government – “a clear sign of Turkey’s willingness to see more crossings opened”.
“We did not even have to ask for the money; they offered,” he said.
But criticism of the Turkish Cypriot side’s action at Ledra has not been limited to what has been done, but also focuses on how things have been done.
“They will gain no points for demolishing their wall under cover of darkness at the weekend,” the UN source said.
Asik sought to explain the move as one deliberately made to avoid accusations that his side was seeking put itself in the limelight.
“I could have invited all the press here to witness the wall coming down, but I preferred to keep it low key,” he said.
Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Ferdi Sabit Soyer also countered criticism from the government and the UN yesterday by telling the Mail that the Cyprus government, the UN and the EU had dragged their feet so much over the construction of the Zodhia crossing that the Turkish Cypriot had no alternative to go ahead alone.
“We are willing to work with anyone who wishes to work with us, but you can see at Bostanci [Zodhia] the UN and EU have still not done what they said they would do. The road in the buffer zone has still not been tarmacked.”
Soyer added the warning: “If we open our side and they [the Greek Cypriots] don’t open theirs, it will send the message that Greek Cypriots are not interested in reunification.”
