The north’s ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruolglu on Friday said some crossing points between Cyprus’ two sides should be closed.

Speaking to Ada TV, he described the crossing points as “useless and costly”, and said they are “only used by Greek Cypriots”.

“I believe that some crossing points should be closed, considering what they are used for. There are gates no Turk uses, only the Greeks use them,” he said.

He added, “each of these crossing points is an expense”, and said the Turkish Cypriot authorities are “footing the bill when the only people who benefit are Greek Cypriots”.

He then expressed his opposition to the nine which are currently open, and any others which may be planned to be opened in the future, amid ongoing conversations between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaderships over the prospect.

“If a crossing point is going to be opened because southern Cyprus is cheaper, our government’s priority should not be to open the crossing point, but to make the market in the north cheaper,” he said.

He went on to say, “I do not look favourably in principle” upon the idea of opening new crossing points, and that “I think there are enough”.

However, he rejected accusations that he is the sticking point in negotiations regarding the opening of new crossing points.

“A perception has been created as if everyone has agreed on a new crossing point and Tahsin Ertugruloglu is the one preventing it. There is no such thing,” he said.

He added that he would refuse to sign off on the opening of a new crossing point if it were agreed, but rather than prevent it from being opened, he would “give power of attorney to another friend so that I would not have to sign it”.

However, others in the north have more favourable views on the crossing points.

Turkish Cypriot Kythrea and Louroujina mayor Ali Karavezirler said the process of opening crossing points both in the isolated village of Louroujina and the eastern Nicosia suburb of Mia Milia “has accelerated” of late.

“The process has accelerated, I see light. I think crossing points may open around September,” he said.

He added that Louroujina will “be released from its position as a dead-end village” and “come to life” if a crossing point is opened in the village.

Earlier, he had said the village is eady to “complete the 380-metre distance” between itself and the adjacent Greek Cypriot village of Lympia.

“We are ready on the matter of a crossing point. We are ready to complete the 380m distance between Lymbia and Louroujina in cooperation with the central government and local government,” he told Kibris TV.

“All we need is to be told, ‘the crossing points are opening’. We will take the necessary steps as soon as the decision is made,” he added.

The village of Lympia is located immediately south of Louroujina, with the town of Dali and the village of Potamia being located to the west and northwest.

With no adjacent crossing point, Louroujina’s only transport link to the rest of the island is a single road which heads northwards and under the runway of Ercan (Tymbou) airport towards the main road between northern Nicosia and Famagusta.

Negotiations between the island’s two sides over the possible opening of new crossing points are ongoing, with negotiators Gunes Onar and Menelaos Menelaou having met on Thursday.