Letimbiotis: Christodoulides' Package Should Include Four Crossing Points

Monday’s meeting between TRNC President Ersin Tatar and President Christodoulides, which addressed the opening of new crossing points, continued to dominate the Greek Cypriot press.

Four + Four Proposal
According to Fileleftheros, Christodoulides presented a 4+4 proposal during the meeting, which not only focuses on opening new crossing points but also includes other topics that have historically been part of the intercommunal dialogue. This package, the report claimed, aims for a mutually beneficial agreement.

The article highlighted Christodoulides' desire for a comprehensive agreement extending beyond the potential opening of the Mia Milia (Haspolat) crossing point. It also suggested that Tatar's proposal for a crossing at Louroujina (Akıncılar) was aimed at appeasing local discontent rather than offering a viable solution, arguing that the proposal primarily serves the Turkish Cypriot side’s interests.

Optimism Despite Challenges
The report noted that discussions around the Louroujina proposal raise additional questions, including contradictions with the Athienou-Piroi (Kiracıköy-Gaziler) crossing. Despite these complexities, the Greek Cypriot side remains optimistic about achieving an agreement.

Letimbiotis emphasized the constructive stance of the Greek Cypriot side, stating that reciprocity underpins all proposals, including the four crossing points, the Pile (Pyla) agreement’s implementation, and the remaining issues under the youth technical committee.

Next Steps
Letimbiotis called on the Turkish Cypriot side to bring substantive and constructive views to the next meeting after evaluating the proposals. He assured that any forthcoming positions would be assessed with the same constructive approach.

Regarding the specifics of the four locations, Letimbiotis clarified that practical arrangements for these points, whether one crossing and three routes or otherwise, would be addressed in subsequent discussions.