On Monday morning, about 50 small buses with about 600 Turkish Cypriots crossed the checkpoint at Limnitis to attend the “celebrations”, at Kokkina for the events which occurred in Tillyria in August 1964.
Kokkina, a coastal village in northeast Cyprus, was the centre of intercommunal clashes in 1964, when the Turkish air force bombed Greek Cypriot villages in the area.
The village is accessible only through the government-controlled areas of the Republic or by sea.
According to the chairman of the Commission for the opening of Tillyria crossing point, Andreas Karos, the crossing was done in parts. He noted that the Turkish Cypriots were accompanied by members of the Police and the United Nations.
In statements to the press, the community leader of Kato Pyrgos Tillyrias, Nicos Kleanthous, said that “58 years later Tillyria has still open wounds from August 1964 and today many Turkish Cypriots have passed for their celebrations in Kokkina.”
He added that “Tillyria remains isolated and is still waiting for solutions that will bring it out from its impasses and its exclusion, in which it has fallen since August 1964.”
Kleanthous, added that “what we are asking for is the opening of the road from Kokkina which will restore access to the area.”
He also said that, in case Kokkina is not opened, alternative solutions will be found, which will connect the area again with the rest of Cyprus. He continued that “the request for the opening of Kokkina is continuous”, noting that “it seems there are difficulties, but we must look for alternative solutions, such as a parallel road, which will free the region from the Turks.”
It is noted that two patrol boats of the Turkish occupying regime also sailed at the enclave of Kokkina.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results.
Source: Cyprus News Agency