Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

‘Wall’ set to come down
By John Leonidou

‘After 30 years it is finally starting to look like a road again’

HISTORY was being made yesterday in Nicosia as Turkish soldiers began tearing down an observation post and a roadblock facing the famous Ledra street checkpoint in Nicosia.

Turkish military officials and men dressed in construction clothing gathered at mid-day yesterday and Greek Cypriot soldiers could only look on in amazement as trucks and bulldozers began dismantling the Turkish observation post and barrels forming the infamous barrier on the Turkish Cypriot side.

The move came about as both communities mounted pressure on the municipality of Nicosia and the “municipality” of Turkish occupied Nicosia, to reopen the road which had been blocked since the 1974 invasion of the island and has since been abandoned in the UN buffer zone.

The “deputy mayor” of Nicosia in the north Semavi Asik told the Cyprus Mail that he expected the crossing to be completed by Christmas.

“Hopefully the crossing will be finalised by Christmas. The speed of the building work will depend largely on the weather. We have had some meetings with the Greek Cypriots but we are not 100 per cent sure how much work they have done on their side.”

The crossing aims to benefit both communities according to Asik.

“We are going to build a bridge that traverses the Turkish military area. The bridge will have frosted glass on either side for security reasons and to prevent any possible acts of provocation. Lifts will also be added for elderly and disabled people. We believe that this bridge will boost the economy of the both the communities on either side of the wall.”
Meanwhile Nicosia Mayor Michalakis Zambelas told the Cyprus Mail that although, the knocking down of the wall in the Turkish Cypriot area was a positive sign, there had been no agreements made on the crossing between Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials.

“I believe that the knocking down of the wall is a good thing but the fact is that we have not discussed or agreed anything with the Turkish Cypriots with regards to the joint opening of Ledra Street. Nothing official has been announced from our side. We would be willing to knock down our wall as well on our side provided that we get the proper clearance from the United Nations that it would be safe to do so.”

One bystander, looking on as the bulldozers began ramming the barbed-wired barriers, said “It is very emotional to see all of this happening. After 30 years, it is finally starting to look like a road again. It is difficult to describe how I feel.”

Shop owner Marios Kritikos told the Cyprus Mail that the reopening of the road was a positive step in the right direction.

“I believe that reopening the road is the right way to go towards bringing the two communities even close together. Ledra is the heart of the capital and is thus the heart of the island. So looking at it in a metaphorical point of view, it is vital to open the heart of the island so both the communities can reach out to each other.”

Could this be the two state one capital melting pot option.

[Piratis]

We are going to build a bridge that traverses the Turkish military area. The bridge will have frosted glass on either side for security reasons and to prevent any possible acts of provocation. Lifts will also be added for elderly and disabled people. We believe that this bridge will boost the economy of the both the communities on either side of the wall

So are they going to bring the wall down, or build a bridge over it?

The old town of Nicosia is already a melting pot. Actually it is inhabited mostly by Asians now.

[pumpernickle]

I came to Cyprus last December....saw quite a few Asians hanging around central Nic.

Moved here a few months ago. Millions of 'em! what happened between December and Autumn this year!! I cant believe it, it's like half o Columbo has set up shop between the car park and Arsinoe Street.

Weird. Are they all domestic workers or what? surreal feeling, walkng past 1,500 loitering Asian people, all standing around and not doing very much at all. Bless 'em.

Are they made to feel welcome at all?
Do they make an effort to assimilate or integrate? what's the scoop?

[Eric dayi]

I came to Cyprus last December....saw quite a few Asians hanging around central Nic.

Moved here a few months ago. Millions of 'em! what happened between December and Autumn this year!! I cant believe it, it's like half o Columbo has set up shop between the car park and Arsinoe Street.

Weird. Are they all domestic workers or what? surreal feeling, walkng past 1,500 loitering Asian people, all standing around and not doing very much at all. Bless 'em.

Are they made to feel welcome at all?
Do they make an effort to assimilate or integrate? what's the scoop?

Those "millions" of Asians are hanging around to get their "Cypriot citizenship" from the GC "government" so that they will be THE majority in the South and take over when Dr. Kucuk and his 10 helpers from the Cyprus Mail gives the order. They will then hand over the South to us Turks.

PS: This is plan B BTW, just in case Plan A doesn't work and the Greeks will not kill each other.

[Alexios]

I came to Cyprus last December....saw quite a few Asians hanging around central Nic.

Moved here a few months ago. Millions of 'em! what happened between December and Autumn this year!! I cant believe it, it's like half o Columbo has set up shop between the car park and Arsinoe Street.

Weird. Are they all domestic workers or what? surreal feeling, walkng past 1,500 loitering Asian people, all standing around and not doing very much at all. Bless 'em.

Are they made to feel welcome at all?
Do they make an effort to assimilate or integrate? what's the scoop?

Most propably in autumn. you visited the centre of Nicosia at a week day..in december you visited on a weekend..