Cyprus leaders’ representatives on their way to Limnitis area

Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou and Turkish Cypriot leader’s advisor Ozdil Nami together with UN Secretary-General's Special Representative in Cyprus Tayee-Brook Zerihoun are on their way to the area of Tilliria, on the northwest of Cyprus, where Limnitis crossing point will open.

The visit was decided in the framework of the leaders’ talks and its purpose is to examine the preparations underway to enable the opening of the crossing point.

On June 26th, during their 34th meeting in the framework of the direct negotiations aiming to solve the Cyprus problem, the leaders of the two communities, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat reached an agreement on the opening of Limnitis crossing point.

The agreement the leaders of the island’s two communities have reached provides that in emergency cases fire engines and ambulances can cross to and from Cyprus’ northern Turkish occupied areas to the southern part of the country, which is under the control of the Republic of Cyprus.

The opening of Limnitis will facilitate movement between the island’s northern Turkish occupied areas and the southern government controlled part of the country.

For the past 45 years, Greek Cypriot residents in the area of Limnitis, on the northwest, have to travel to Paphos, on the western coast, and Limassol, on the south, in order to reach the capital Nicosia.

Opening a crossing point at Limnitis would make this journey far shorter. In the recent past, several crossing points to and from the island’s northern Turkish occupied areas have opened to facilitate the movement of people.