Opening ceremony of Limnitis crossing point on Thursday, 14 October

The opening ceremony of Limnitis crossing point to be held on Thursday, 14 October, at 10 a.m, will take place at the presence of the leaders of two communities in Cyprus while the European Commissioner for Enlargement will also attend the event, an official announcement says.

According to the announcement , Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu will deliver short remarks at the event, followed by a remark by the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule, the Ambassador of the United States of America Frank Urbanic, UNDP RBEC [Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS States] Deputy Director Haoliang Xu, and the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, Alexander Downer.

The event includes a ribbon cutting and then a visit to the coffee shops in the village of Limnitis, at the north occupied areas and Kato Pyrgos by the two leaders and other officials.

The crossing point was under construction in Kato Pyrgos/Limnitis, on the northwest, where a 5.7 klm road is been constructed.

For the past 45 years, Greek Cypriot residents in the area of Limnitis, on the northwest, have to travel to Pafos, 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. It will also facilitate movement between the island’s northern Turkish occupied areas and the southern government controlled part of the country.

On March 29 2010, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat attended a ceremony on Limnitis road to mark the beginning of construction work in the presence of UNSG’s Special Advisor to Cyprus Alexander Downer, US Ambassador to Nicosia Frank C. Urbancic and others.