Four new crossing routes on the agenda at leaders’ meeting

Four proposals to open new crossing points in Cyprus are expected to be discussed at the trilateral meeting between the leaders on Monday. According to reports in the Greek Cypriot press, the routes under consideration are Haspolat, Kiracıköy-Gaziler-Eylence, Akıncılar-Limbia and Gambo-Gemikonağı. Although a compromise may be reached at the meeting, no agreement has been announced so far.

According to Alithia, Angela Maria Holguin, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Cyprus, will act as a mediator at the meeting. The information that four proposals are on the table came from unnamed official sources who spoke to the Cyprus News Agency. The same sources reportedly did not rule out the possibility of an agreement being announced at Monday’s meeting.

Assessment based on written proposals

The report said that submitting their views and proposals in writing would make it possible to see where the parties had moved closer together and where they remained apart. It also noted that a compromise on practical matters such as crossings would not amount to a shared approach to a solution or an agreed basis for negotiations.

Local reaction to the Gambo-Gemikonağı proposal

One of the issues discussed ahead of the meeting was the Gambo-Gemikonağı proposal. According to the report, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Hristodulidis proposed this route as an alternative to the Erenköy crossing, which the Turkish Cypriot side has not accepted.

Poli Hirsofu Municipality and the Dillirga Villages Complex responded by saying that Hristodulidis had previously promised not to approve other crossings before the Erenköy crossing was opened. According to Haravgi, residents of the area called for his position to be clarified, while Mayor Nikos Kleanthus also voiced intentions to take action to prevent vehicles carrying supplies to Erenköy from crossing.