Over a thousand expected to cross for Kokkina memorial

OVER a thousand Turkish Cypriots will cross through Limnitis today to Kokkina to mark the anniversary of the Turkish bombing raids that lifted the siege of their enclave in 1964.

In August 1964, the Turkish Air Force bombed Greek Cypriot targets around Kokkina enclave, in the most serious incident of the intercommunal troubles.

Residents of Kato Pyrgos, who wanted a reciprocal crossing in September to celebrate the feast days of Ayios Mammas, will not prevent the Turkish Cypriot buses crossing, as they had initially planned.

However, they will stage a peaceful protest to press for the opening of the Limnitis crossing as soon as possible.

They had planned to block the road because the Turkish side had, and still hasn’t, responded to their request to cross in September. But at a meeting late on Wednesday it was decided not to jeopardise the longer-term plan to open a crossing at Limnitis.

Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou had spoken to the community leaders of Kato Pyrgos who passed on their final decision to him. He said he had forwarded news of the development to the UN, which will be assisting today’s crossings. “I telephoned the UN, informed them on the new situation and that the checkpoint will be open for the Turkish Cypriots to cross and that there will be a peaceful demonstration with no problems,” he said. “There will be no problems,” he insisted.

He said now a reply was being awaited from the Turkish side about the September crossing for Greek Cypriots.

Kokkina is accessible only through the government-controlled areas or by sea. Until four years ago, Turkish Cypriots used the sea route, but were granted permission for a land crossing by the Cyprus government in 2004.

And although Greek Cypriots have been allowed to visit the church of Ayios Mammas in Morphou for the past four years, they are not allowed by the Turkish military to go through the same crossing as the Turkish Cypriots. They must go through the Zodia crossing, east of Morphou and drive back to the occupied town on the northern side of the buffer zone.

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