‘No question’ of Pyla mutual understanding being renegotiated

Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday there is “no question” of the mutual understanding on construction in and around the village of Pyla being renegotiated.

He said the mutual understanding “had been reached after thorough and intensive consultations,” and added that “the government expects the work to be completed as intended. Nothing more, and nothing less.”

He added that the government is in “constant communication” with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (Unficyp), and that it is “repeating at every opportunity its sincere will and intention to resume work in accordance with the provisions of the understanding.”

“We expect from Unficyp and the UN that the overall provisions of the understanding are ensured,” he said.

He added, “we await the completion of Unficyp’s contacts and the swift resumption of work.”

President Nikos Christodoulides had said earlier this month that the Turkish Cypriot side had effectively “backed away” from the mutual understanding, after the UN had instigated a “short pause” in construction work in the area.

The mutual understanding had seemed to put paid to tensions in and around the village, with the Turkish Cypriot side allowed to build a road between Pyla and the village of Arsos in the north, which initially caused the outbreak of violence in the buffer zone. T he Greek Cypriot side was allowed to build residential properties and a solar farm in the area.