UNFICYP completed its mine sweep in the Ledra Street buffer zone area yesterday afternoon, clearing the way for both sides to go in today to start clean-up work ahead of the expected opening of the crossing point.
News photographers hanging out of a second-floor window at the Ledra Street car park watched yesterday as six UNFICYP personnel in protective clothing carried out the work.
They were accompanied by Turkish military field engineers and explosive materials experts.
The UN troops, who entered the area at around midday, used minesweepers across the paving close to the Greek Cypriot side and could also be seen cutting the grass, before sweeping the area in the centre of the two identical barriers.
The area to be opened that will link the two sides of Ledra Street, closed since 1963, is around 75-80 metres long. The opening was agreed at meeting between President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat last Friday.
By late afternoon, the safety check by the Mine Action Centre group had been completed, UNFICYP said in a statement.
“The check for unexploded ordnance was necessary prior to the start of work to secure buildings for the opening of the crossing point,” the statement said. No “dangerous items” were found, the UN said.
A spokesman for the force said the way was now clear for the municipalities on both sides to enter the area to begin work on securing the dilapidated buildings that have lain empty since 1974.
Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou told the Cyprus Mail later yesterday that a municipal engineering team would enter the area first thing this morning.
“There will be a meeting of the team to see the situation and decide on the best plan for the various jobs that will need to be done,” she said.
Mavrou stuck to her original estimate that the work to secure the buildings and pave the ground for pedestrians would take four or five days.
However, she cautioned that the weekend was almost here and she was referring to working days. This means that it would be at least Wednesday before an official opening could happen. “I am very happy,” Mavrou said. “It’s all going as we expected.”
The operation to open Ledra Street hit a small hitch on Monday when it emerged that the Turkish military had refused earlier entry to the UN. Both the Turkish side and the UN cited technical problems.
“There were some technical questions that needed to be worked out regarding the Ledra Street crossing – those issues have now been resolved,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokeswoman Michelle Montas said.
Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said yesterday the short delay had nothing to do with the Greek Cypriot side. There had been some speculation that it was connected with the visit to the north of the Turkish Chief of Staff Yasar Buyukanit, who arrived last night.
Stefanou said the visit did not serve prospects for a Cyprus settlement.
“Apart from the illegal and provocative nature of Mr Buyukanit’s visit to the occupied areas of Cyprus, we also want to underline that the visit is being held at a point in time when efforts and procedures are being made, which we hope will function in a positive manner towards the prospect of a solution of the Cyprus problem,” Stephanou said.
