Athienou council presses leaders to open crossing point

Athienou municipal council on Wednesday issued a statement expressing its disappointment that the Athienou to Pyroi crossing point did not materialise after Monday’s negotiations. The statement repeats the benefits that opening the crossing would bring and calls on both President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman to reconsider the issue and bring it back for discussion. The municipality will also write to the president to request a meeting, which Kareklas said the aim of which was to brief him on what was discussed at Monday’s meeting and to learn the next steps on opening the crossing. The council met in extraordinary session after Monday’s announcement of new crossing points, made following talks between Christodoulides, Erhurman and United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin. The announcement did not include a transit road linking Athienou with Aglandjia, a Nicosia suburb as had been expected. Both sides are due to continue their discussions on the matter with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the coming weeks.