Cyprus Rivals Approve Two New Buffer Zone Checkpoints, Raising Total to 11
Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders agreed Monday to open two new crossings along the UN buffer zone, marking a significant shift in relations on the divided i...
POLICY WIRE — Nicosia, Cyprus — Leaders from both sides of the ethnically divided island reached a consensus on Monday to establish two additional vehicular crossings. This decision marks the first such expansion in recent memory along the demarcation line.
The new agreements allow for traffic to flow through two previously restricted points within the U.N.-supervised safe area. Officials noted that these openings represent a tangible step forward in cross-community movement.
Currently, nine checkpoints operate along the entire 180-kilometer (120-mile) stretch of the buffer zone. This area physically separates the breakaway Turkish Cypriot administration from the Greek Cypriot government in the south.
With the recent authorization, the total count of accessible crossing points on the Mediterranean island has risen to 11, according to local media reports.
The accord also includes broader cooperation measures, such as coordinated emergency responses and the sharing of archival materials. These initiatives are part of a wider U.N.-backed framework designed to ease tensions.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)