UNFICYP officials were yesterday stepping up their efforts to ensure the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Strovilia and the dismantling of a checkpoint they set up near the village on Friday morning.
The Turkish advance of 300-400 metres at Strovilia has violated the status quo that has existed on the island since 1974, putting nine Greek Cypriots in an area now behind Turkish lines.
The Turks did not occupy Strovilia in 1974 on the misunderstanding that it was part of the Dhekelia British Sovereign Base Area. It in fact lies just outside SBA land, within the Republic. The village’s residents are all Greek Cypriot, but one UN and one Turkish Cypriot soldier have supervised the area for the last 26 years.
Despite the tense situation, the UN stressed yesterday that neither the Greek Cypriot residents nor a lone UN soldier on duty in the area were "trapped".
They are being forced to pass through the new checkpoint to enter and exit the area, but their movement has not been restricted, the UN said. Yesterday morning, several residents left for work in the normal way.
The Austrian UN soldier positioned in Strovilia at the time of the Turkish Cypriot advance was replaced on Sunday afternoon by a compatriot, in the usual twice-weekly rotation.
The sentry has been in direct contact with Unficyp.
Most of the 100 Turkish Cypriot troops who moved in on Friday have left, leaving a small number to police the post, adjacent to the edge of the Dhekelia Base.
The UN nevertheless stressed the serious nature of the violation of the status quo.
"We are working to get the checkpoint moved. Discussions are taking place at the highest political and military level," UN spokeswoman Sarah Russell told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.
National Guard and Unficyp commanders are anchoring the negotiations and are due to meet today.
On Friday, the UN lodged a request for the occupied forces to reverse their action. No reply has been received and there was no indication last night if and when such a reply would be forthcoming.
Russell stressed such negotiations needed a certain time and said the UN were seeking a meeting with the Commander of the Turkish forces in the north.
Some local residents have expressed annoyance at what they term British "indifference" at the change to the status quo.
SBA spokesman Rob Need acknowledged the infringement of the status quo, but said the Bases would not intervene in something outside their sovereign control areas.
Instead, SBA police have been alerted to warn locals about the change to the status quo, but to warn them not to be alarmed.
The Turks have assured the British Army that there will be no access problems for people going through the area, other than for UN personnel.
The Turkish Cypriots have imposed restrictions on the movement of the peacekeeping force in protest over the wording of a UN Security Council resolution extending the mandate of the mission.
The text, modified three weeks ago at the behest of the Cyprus government, dropped a reference perceived as acknowledging the occupation regime.
