30 minefields in Nicosia
The European Union-funded Mine Action Centre started the second phase of its landmines and ordnances clearance with de-mining operations in the areas of Nicosia’s Ayios Dometios and Kermia checkpoints on Monday morning.
A total of 30 minefields have been identified for clearing in and around the Nicosia area, an MAC spokesman said.
A safety cordon of 100 metres has been placed around the minefield during normal working hours between 7am and 4.30pm. When some road closures might be necessary for mine clearance operations, detour directions will be posted, while the de-mining programme highly recommends the public to comply with the instructions of the relevant authorities.
MAC is a Partnership for the Future (PFF) programme, funded by the EU and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The project has to date cleared 13 minefields in an area of 575.686 square meters in the buffer zone and removed 2186 mines (1.294 antitank and 892 anti-personel mines).
The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the EC Representation on the island announced two weeks ago that the demining of the buffer zone will help promote reconciliation and is a step forward on the path to opening more crossing points, normalcy and peace.
The statements by UNFICYP chief of Mission Zbigniew Wlosowicz and Kezban Akansoy of the EC Representation were made on the occasion of the extension of the EU-funded UNDP PFF demining activities into the minefields of the Turkish forces in the buffer zone.
Two landmines were detonated in a Turkish forces minefield in the buffer zone adjacent to the United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) and UNFICYP headquarters to mark the occasion.
In her speech, Akansoy said the initiative is funded by the EU with EUR 4 mln and “it is an active contribution to peace-building increased safety and reconciliation here on the island”.
She also said the EU has a long-standing tradition of financing de-mining operations all over the world and it looks at this type of operations “as an essential factor to normalizing life”.
For Cyprus, she noted, “the mine clearing will further lead to normalization of the situation on the island” and is being held in “accordance with the EU’s Green Line policy as regards free movement of EU citizens and goods across the island”.
The Mine Action Centre of Cyprus employs a project manager, an operation specialist, a finance administrative officer and a communications officer, as well as 44 persons who will work as clearance contractors and three quality officers.
The Mine Action Centre was established in October 2004 and the mine clearance activities began on November 19, 2004.
