Cyprus-Forum.com

by **halil** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:27 pm

UN DENIES CLAIMS THAT ALEXANDER DOWNER WAS PREVENTED FROM CROSSING INTO NORTH CYPRUS

It looks as though the Greek Cypriot papers are trying the ruffle the feathers of the Turkish Cypriot side.

Philelefteros newspaper published in South Cyprus, claimed that the UN Special adviser for the Secretary General Alexander Downer was prevented from crossing into the north during his visit to the Ledra Street-Lokmaci area yesterday.

The UN acted quickly and denied the claims printed by the paper.
United Nations Spokesman Jose Diaz has denied claims printed by the Greek Cypriot news paper Philelefteros that the Special Advisor of the Secretary General Alexander Downer was prevented by Turkish police from crossing the Ledra Street barricade with his entourage.
The story headlined published in today’s edition of the paper, "They stopped Downer – Turks prevented him from crossing buffer zone at Ledra St with entourage " was categorically denied by the UN.
He said the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General, Alexander Downer, was on Ledra Street yesterday to get a first-hand look at the plans for further refurbishment of the area.

‘At no point was he told by the Turkish Cypriot police that UN personnel were not allowed to approach the Turkish Cypriot crossing point’, he added.
Indeed, Mr. Downer went up to the level of the Turkish Cypriot identification booth to get a better look at buildings nearby that require particularly heavy renovation work.

As the UN Spokesperson in Nicosia told Phileleftheros yesterday, there was no incident during Mr. Downer's visit to the area, during which he received a full briefing on work related to Ledra Street from officials of the UNDP-Partnership for the Future project.