Tilliria community leaders call for opening of Kokkina checkpoint

Community leaders of the Tilliria region of the Paphos district met with Greek Cypriot Negotiator, Menelaos Menelaou at Kokkina on Wednesday where they examined the issue of opening the Kokkina checkpoint.

Kato Pyrgos Tilliria President of the Community Council, Nikos Cleanthou told CNA that they discussed ways to open the checkpoint as well as issues within the Negotiator’s competence.

The Kato Pyrgos Tilliria, Pano Pyrgos Tilliria, Mosfili and Pomos communities took part in the meeting.

Kokkina is an enclave around five km west of the areas occupied by Turkey since its troops invaded Cyprus in 1974, occupying 37 percent of the island's territory.

Turkish Cypriots have access to Kokkina by air or sea. At present Greek Cypriots traveling between Paphos or Polis and Pyrgos are forced on a long detour inland as they cannot go along the coast through Kokkina.

According to Kato Pyrgos Tilliria community leader Cleanthous, Menelaou heard the locals’ position on the opening of the checkpoint and is aware of the Kokkina issue and the need to open the passage. In addition, he said Menelaou "promised that whatever can be done on our part will be done." The opening of the Kokkina checkpoint, he continued, "is a priority for our side, and in an upcoming meeting, we do not know when, the opening of the Kokkina checkpoint will be proposed", he added.

Despite the repeated appeals by the Greek Cypriot side, the Turkish Cypriot regime has not given the go-ahead for Greek Cypriots to use the coastal road Pahiamos – Pyrgos Tillirias which will eliminate the distance and the inconvenience caused to the inhabitants of the region.