Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Legislation
  • War On Terror
  • EU Affairs
  • Elections
  • News Analysis

Checkpoints linking Turkish, Greek sides on Cyprus to reopen: UN

by Daily Sabah with Reuters

İstanbul Jun 02, 2021 - 2:46 pm GMT+3
Tourists stand in front of police barriers at a closed crossing point between the Greek Cypriots (south) and the Turkish Cypriots (north), on the Ledras pedestrian street in the divided capital Nicosia, on the island of Cyprus, June 2, 2021. (AP Photo)
Tourists stand in front of police barriers at a closed crossing point between the Greek Cypriots (south) and the Turkish Cypriots (north), on the Ledras pedestrian street in the divided capital Nicosia, on the island of Cyprus, June 2, 2021. (AP Photo)
by Daily Sabah with Reuters Jun 02, 2021 2:46 pm

Checkpoints on the island of Cyprus linking the Greek and Turkish sides will reopen on Friday, the United Nations said Wednesday, marking the first time restrictions have been eased since December 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The island of Cyprus is split between its Greek and Turkish Cypriot populations, with a number of designated checkpoints controlling movements between the north and south of the island.

The sealed checkpoints up-ended the lives of thousands who would cross the island daily either for work, family commitments or just to meet friends. On some days, kilometer-long queues would form at vehicle crossings.

"The reopening of all crossing points will facilitate free movement, promote people-to-people contacts, build trust and have an overall positive socio-economic impact across the island for the benefit of all Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots," the U.N. mission on Cyprus, UNFICYP, said in a statement.

A committee of health experts from both sides will assess the impact of the opening on the pandemic. People who cross will require a 7-day negative antigen test or PCR test, the peacekeeping mission said.

Vehicle and pedestrian crossings have been subject to on-and-off closures since February 2020, when the Greek Cypriot side shut the checkpoints for the first time in almost two decades as a precaution.

Since then there has been some easing of restrictions, but different rules on each side made crossings impossible for many.

"It affected many people, couples, families, people working on both sides of the divide as well as having an economic impact," said Kemal Baykallı, a member of the peace platform Unite Cyprus Now.

"I think what this has shown us is that what we take for granted can easily be taken away from us in the lack of a settlement," Baykallı said.

The Cyprus issue remains unresolved despite a series of efforts over the past two decades, including a failed 2017 U.N. initiative with the participation of the guarantor countries.

The island has been divided since 1964 when ethnic attacks forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aiming at Greece's annexation led to Turkey's military intervention as a guarantor power. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was then founded in 1983.

The Greek Cypriot administration, backed by Greece, became a member of the European Union in 2004, even though most Greek Cypriots rejected a U.N. settlement plan in a referendum that year that had envisaged a reunited Cyprus joining the EU.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jun 02, 2021 4:59 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    cyprus issue cyprus united nations eastern mediterranean greek cyprus turkish republic of northern cyprus
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A crude oil tanker sails in the Bosporus, on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Dec. 11, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye registers better-than-expected current account gap

    current-account-balance
     Eastern Anatolian Fault line triggered another fault segment called the Sürgü fault, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Feb. 9, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Accumulated tension of hundreds of years moved Anatolia by 3m

    Harold-Tobin

    Istanbul's spectacular, historical grand bazaars and markets

    Travel

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    Sao Paulo hit by deadly landslides after heavy rains
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021