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Sat, May 26 2012
New crossing point to link communities on Cyprus
Chrysostomos, Archbishop of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, visits the Apostolos Andreas Monastery in Famagusta, northern Cyprus, March 22 2010. He crossed over to the Turkish Cypriot-controlled north for the first time to visit the revered Apostolos Andreas monastery to discuss much-needed repair work on the monastery.
Work is set to begin on a new crossing point that will link the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the Mediterranean island after the United Nations signed a contract on March 24 2010 with a local joint venture, the UN News Service said.
The FAP-Tarmac Joint Venture, which brings together Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot companies, will upgrade a stretch of road between Kato Pyrgos/Asagi Pirgo and Limnitis/Yesilirmak in the north-western part of the island, according to a media statement by the UN peacekeeping mission (UNFICYP).
Civilian traffic will be able to flow again through the buffer zone running across the area as a result of the project, which is being funded by the European Union (EU), the United States Agency for International Development and the government of the Republic of Cyprus.
UNFICYP chief of mission Tayé-Brook Zerihoun described the signing by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as "further tangible evidence that when there is a will, even what seem to be the most intractable problems can be solved".
The contract follows an agreement last year between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on the opening of a buffer zone crossing at Limnitis/Yesilirmak.
"Getting to today’s signing was far from easy," Zerihoun said. "But thanks to the perseverance and co-operation of the two sides, and particularly of the two leaders, as well as the untiring effort of many in the international community, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – and all the people of Cyprus – are now taking one more determined step in their pursuit to remove obstacles to peace, reconciliation and prosperity in a reunited island."
After a trial crossing by ambulances from both communities, UNFICYP enhanced the patrol track in the buffer zone to a standard suitable for emergency use by civilian traffic in advance of the road’s construction.
The mission has been in place on the island since 1964 after an outbreak of inter-communal violence. UN-backed talks between Christofias and Talat are aimed at reunifying the two communities.
The FAP-Tarmac Joint Venture, which brings together Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot companies, will upgrade a stretch of road between Kato Pyrgos/Asagi Pirgo and Limnitis/Yesilirmak in the north-western part of the island, according to a media statement by the UN peacekeeping mission (UNFICYP).
Civilian traffic will be able to flow again through the buffer zone running across the area as a result of the project, which is being funded by the European Union (EU), the United States Agency for International Development and the government of the Republic of Cyprus.
UNFICYP chief of mission Tayé-Brook Zerihoun described the signing by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as "further tangible evidence that when there is a will, even what seem to be the most intractable problems can be solved".
The contract follows an agreement last year between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on the opening of a buffer zone crossing at Limnitis/Yesilirmak.
"Getting to today’s signing was far from easy," Zerihoun said. "But thanks to the perseverance and co-operation of the two sides, and particularly of the two leaders, as well as the untiring effort of many in the international community, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – and all the people of Cyprus – are now taking one more determined step in their pursuit to remove obstacles to peace, reconciliation and prosperity in a reunited island."
After a trial crossing by ambulances from both communities, UNFICYP enhanced the patrol track in the buffer zone to a standard suitable for emergency use by civilian traffic in advance of the road’s construction.
The mission has been in place on the island since 1964 after an outbreak of inter-communal violence. UN-backed talks between Christofias and Talat are aimed at reunifying the two communities.
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BTW "1"
that's a very Yugoslav question - the Bosnians ask that about RS, the Serbs ask that about Bosnia and Kosovo, so do the FYROM-tsi.
All you guys there know is what land is who's... sad actually.
"Lets split Bulgaria in two and give them half..."
Frankly, if we come to the point where we just can't live together, why not? Would it be better to live in segregated neighborhoods where one is afraid of finding himself after dark? I'd give land for a piece of mind, whatever the % reflects the minority, if it comes to that.
But no, the Muslims in BG are not all Turks. There are mostly Bulgarian, that were converted, mostly by force, to Islam during the Ottoman times. They speak no Turkish. The [...]
Read the full comment Turks are the minority, and frankly I prefer them any day to the Mohammedans (as we call the Bulgarian Muslims) - our Turks are also less zealous in their faith than the Bulgarian Muslims - I guess they have less to prove.
But that's just the point: There is a border there, and it's up to the individuals to decide, which side of it, would suit them best. I hope that we treat Turks well enough for them to prefer BG.
If comes to that they want a part of BG's land, and would prefer to be separated from us, we have no one to blame, but ourselves.
hey valeri... The muslims of Bulgaria... they are turks right???.. Lets split Bulgaria in two and give them half...
OK, but what makes Cyprus a country, if it has Greeks and Turks on it, don't both those nationalities have their own countries? They obviously don't want to live together, why insist that it's a country? It's a bit like Bosnia - the west can pretend all they want that it's a country, but it's not - it's 3 countries and two of the players, obviously are much closer to the adjacent ones where their nationals live.
Yeah Cypriots my a**e when both
communities experience difficulties it always deduces to a Helleno-Turkisk issue.
Valeri, Cyprus is a country not a territory owned by Greeks or
Turks. It is a Country owned by Cypriots. The EU admitted the whole country however the Government in Cyprus only has control of 61% of the land as it is being occupied by a power which isn't part of Cyprus. The reasons for this are well know and I am not trying to put blame on the dire situation in the country. Greeks, Turkish, British and Cypriots are all to blame for the issues in Cyprus.
It's like the Thracian side of Turkey, not being in the EU.
Frankly Cyprus is much less par of Europe than the European part of Turkey, yet it isn't in the EU and it won't be unless Turkey joins.
Why can't the same apply to Turkish Cyprus?
Until Turkey joins, the EU border goes right through the island, as it goes through the Balkans...
I'd love to hear the opposing logic..
"The mission has been in place on the island since 1964 after an outbreak of inter-communal violence. UN-backed talks between Christofias and Talat are aimed at reunifying the two communities."
Why?
Nobody can answer that... Why is it "inter-communal" violence and not "international"?
Turks - Greeks - two different nations.
Cyprus - a geographical term - like "the Balkans".
We have a border with the Turks, why can't they too have a border?
We we used to have wars, it was a war between nations, being [...]
Read the full comment on the same geography, notwithstanding...