Government spokesman denies agreement in Pyla dispute

Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said there is no agreement regarding the issue in Pyla.

He made the remark when invited to comment on reports in the Turkish Cypriot press that an agreement has been reached and construction resumes on Monday.

On August 18, 2023 men of the occupation regime punched and kicked a group of international peacekeepers who obstructed crews illegally working on a road that would encroach on a U.N.-controlled buffer zone.

The attack happened as peacekeepers stood in the way of work crews building a road to connect the Turkish-occupied village of Arsos with the mixed Greek Cypriot-Turkish Cypriot village of Pyla, inside the buffer zone.

Spokesman Letymbiotis said on Monday that “negotiations on the issue continue” and we are in contact with the UN. He repeated the President of the Republic’s stance that the Greek Cypriot side will not proceed with any settlement that questions the status of the buffer zone and creates any military advantage for the occupation forces.

When there is a settlement, then the public will be duly informed, he added.

Asked if work will take place within the buffer zone on Monday, the President replied, “Not that I know of”.

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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.