The opening of a crossing point at the Turkish Cypriot-held enclave of Kokkina was revisited by the mayor of Polis Chrysochous Yiotis Papachristofi, and Kato Pyrgos community cluster leader Nikos Kleanthous.
The two resubmitted a request to promote the opening the crossing point at the upcoming meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar over the matter on January 20.
The two mayors said opening Kokkina was important, both for the residents of the surrounding Tillyria area, as well as those of the broader region around Polis Chrysochous. As a result of the de facto blockade, the region had remained isolated from the rest of the island and underserved since 1963, the mayors said.
Reiterating their longstanding demand the mayors said, “this is a unique and last opportunity [to include Kokkina in negotiations]. If not taken, such an opportunity will be difficult to recapture.”
“We demand the opening of Kokkina [to be made] a red line and a non-negotiable in the discussion of new crossing points between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,” the two local leaders said, adding that freeing up movement in the region would promote economic development and the wellbeing of its residents.
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