A NEW crossing point in the buffer zone between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot zones at Zodhia in the northwest of the island will open within 60 days, according to comments made by officials on both sides of the Green Line yesterday.
Disagreement had plagued the opening of the crossing since proposals were first tabled last summer. Yesterday, however, both sides said they were ready to go ahead with building the necessary instalments, which will bring the total number of crossings on the island to four.
Government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said yesterday the Greek Cypriot side had always been in favour of opening the Zodhia crossing, but had insisted on using an existing road that crossed a Turkish minefield.
The Turkish Cypriot side had proposed using an alternative route that bypassed the minefield – a proposal rejected by the south as it was said to cut through Greek Cypriot-owned lands.
The north’s authorities now say they have no problem with using the route insisted on by the Cyprus government.
But while Chrysostomides claimed victory yesterday, describing the Turkish Cypriot acceptance of the route as a “U-turn”, the north’s communication and works ‘minister’ Omer Kalyoncu said reluctance to use the Greek Cypriot-proposed route stemmed not from the Turkish Cypriot side but from the UN’s unwillingness to have the route passing through a Turkish minefield.
“This was not a U-turn. The original road [proposed by the Greek Cypriots] has mines in it and the UN therefore had reservations about using it. But now we have managed to come to an agreement and the mines will be cleared,” Kalyoncu said.
A UN spokesman yesterday applauded both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot authorities “for their commitment to the prospect of opening new crossings”.
Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday mine detection in the area would begin today, carried out by teams from the UN and the Turkish military, and that clearance would begin immediately after.
It is believed the new crossing point will bring marked benefits to both communities, but particularly to the Turkish Cypriot population of Morphou and Zodhia where unemployment is rife, forcing many to travel long distances each day to work in the Greek Cypriot south.
Speaking on the prospects of further crossing opening along the Green Line, Chrysostomides said proposals to open another eight crossing points remained on the table and hinted that the most likely candidate for opening in the near future was the Ledra Street crossing in central Nicosia.
