Cyprus-Forum.com

by **Sotos** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 12:28 pm

‘ If they can’t agree on opening a simple crossing, how can they even allow themselves to contemplate a solution?’

TURKISH Cypriot shop owners in central Nicosia yesterday announced a protest planned for Friday that will call on the authorities in the north to remove the bridge they have built over Ermou Street, thereby allowing for the opening of the Ledra Street barricade.

The protest will increase pressure on the Turkish Cypriot side to remove the bridge, which has already met with the disapproval of both the Cypriot government and the UN. The Cyprus government has said it believes the bridge gives the Turkish Cypriot military the upper hand in the area, while the UN has expressed regret that the north acted unilaterally in building it.

“We do not agree that the bridge should be there. It is both meaningless and an obstruction to the free flow of people between the two sides,” Turkish Cypriot Shop Owners Association head Hurrem Tulga told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.

Although the details of Friday’s protest are yet to be finalised, it is known that it will centre on traders on the Turkish Cypriot side of the Ledra Street crossing who will close their shops for part of the day.

Tulga said yesterday his association, which he says has the full support of all vendors in the area, had always been against the construction of the controversial bridge.

“The land the bridge is on may be on the Turkish side, but we don’t want it. What we want at the crossing is for people to be able to walk through without hindrance. The shopping street on the Turkish Cypriot side should be a continuation of Ledra Street, and should have the same paving and other services,” Tulga said, adding that all the details of how the two shopping streets were to be combined was clearly spelled out in the Nicosia Master Plan drawn up by the two municipalities and the UNDP.

Tulga emphasised, however, he was not only calling on the Turkish Cypriot side to “act reasonably” over crossing, but was also calling on the Greek Cypriot side to remove the wall on its side of the barricade.

“It is a call to both sides to remove obstacles to the crossing,” he said, adding: “The important thing is that the two sides sit down with the UN and agree together on something mutually acceptable. It is clear that unilateral actions do not work,” he said.

Tulga also warned yesterday that if the municipalities of north and south Nicosia could not agree on how to open the crossing, the prospects for reuniting the island were doomed.

“If they can’t agree on opening a simple crossing, how can they even allow themselves to contemplate a solution [of the Cyprus problem]?”

Reacting to news of the shop owners protest north Nicosia Mayor Kutlay Erk told the Mail Tulga had “every right to express his opinion”, but stressed that at this stage the Turkish Cypriot side had no plans to take down the bridge.

He did concede, however, that his side was willing “to look at and evaluate proposals received from the Greek Cypriots and the UN”.

Asked whether he thought it would be possible to demilitarise the Ledra Street area as proposed by the Greek Cypriot House President Dimitri Christofias, Erk said the area had already been cleared of all military placements.
“That military vehicles can use the road [Ermou Street] does not mean it is a military area. If a National Guard vehicle drives from Limassol to Nicosia, does that mean all the area between Limassol and Nicosia is a military area?”

Erk’s second in command Semavi Asik, also speaking to the Mail yesterday, said he found it “understandable” there were things that made the Greek Cypriots “uncomfortable” and that his side was willing to “trade them off” against things that made Turkish Cypriots uncomfortable.
“Perhaps they would like to respond to our sensitivities by taking down those posters at Ledra Palace,” he suggested.

by **cypezokyli** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 12:50 pm

about this stupid bridge...there was also a concern from people who have to use wheel chairs that they wont be able to cross. i dont knoe how far that was taken care off.

as for the opening...we need leaders who believe in cyprus, and not winning or loosing against each other.
or a strong mobilization of the people...which is also unlikely

by **sadik** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:11 pm

cypezokyli wrote:about this stupid bridge...there was also a concern from people who have to use wheel chairs that they wont be able to cross. i dont knoe how far that was taken care off.

as for the opening...we need leaders who believe in cyprus, and not winning or loosing against each other.
or a strong mobilization of the people...which is also unlikely

I went to Ledras and looked at the bridge from the south. It may or it may not be a greenline violation but it looks really ugly. I agree with the shop owners that it should be torn down. Turkish Cypriot people want this road to be opened so the TC leadership should backtrack and do it.

by **RAFAELLA** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:02 pm

One step forward and two steps back.
The opening of the Ledra street is a good move…but the bridge? Stupid manufacture.

I believe people; Gcs & Tcs should take initiatives and approach each other.
The protest of the Tcs shop owners against the decision of the Turkish army to build the bridge, is a good example.
Gcs should start waking up as well.

by **zan** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:26 pm

RAFAELLA wrote:One step forward and two steps back.
The opening of the Ledra street is a good move…but the bridge? Stupid manufacture.

I believe people; Gcs & Tcs should take initiatives and approach each other.
The protest of the Tcs shop owners against the decision of the Turkish army to build the bridge, is a good example.
Gcs should start waking up as well.

At last we agree on some thing. This has the stench of pure provocation from the army and an over reaction from the RoC.

by **cypezokyli** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:51 am

exactly.

and if we can get rafaella and zan agreeing to this... one can understand the stupidity of our leaderships.

by **BirKibrisli** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:53 am

Great to see Rafaella and Zan agreeing on something.I will pop the champagne when I get home tonight.I am at Auburn now in Sydney where a church was burnt down the other night.All seems to be quite on the western front...

As for the bridge.Don't forget whose idea it was to build it in the first place,the Army's.The army will have to agree to dismantle it.But it is a good sign that TCs are protesting against a decision by the Army.Perhaps this is the beginning of something bigger than just a stupid bridge...