Nicosia: The opening of the Pyrogi crossing point remains a priority for the Greek Cypriot side, particularly ahead of his upcoming visit to New York, President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday evening while addressing an event in Athienou marking 100 years since the municipality was established. According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides highlighted the strategic significance of the Pyrogi crossing. "The distance from Pyrogi to Aglantzia is around 12 kilometres," he noted. "Consider what opening this crossing point would mean - being only 12 kilometres away from Nicosia. That is precisely why we will continue to insist on it." The President further explained that during a recent meeting attended by the UN Secretary-General, he proposed a compromise which he described as "a reasonable compromise." He lamented that although his side accepted this proposal, it was ultimately rejected by the Turkish side. "However, ahead of my visit to New York, this issue remains a prior ity for us," President Christodoulides emphasized. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, no conclusive results have been achieved. Building on prior discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and proposals by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, parties who convened in Geneva in March 2025 agreed on the opening of four new crossing points in Cyprus. Some proposed routes required the Turkish army's consent, and discussions were ongoing.