By Martin Banks - 11th January 2007
Greek Cypriot MEPs have cautiously welcomed the decision by the Northern Cypriot government to demolish a controversial bridge in Nicosia.
On Tuesday, workers began demolishing a footbridge in the city on the orders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) administration.
The move was backed by the government in Ankara and welcomed by the EU but has enraged Turkey’s opposition and the country’s influential armed forces.
The bridge, built against the wishes of the Greek Cypriots, had become an obstacle to community efforts to revive Ledra Street, the divided main thoroughfare in the city.
Liberal group MEP Marios Matsakis welcomed the incident, describing it as a “step in the right direction.”
However, he stressed that “much more” needed to be done to halt a growing social and political gulf between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities in Nicosia.
“Let’s remember that this bridge was built in 1974 illegally and improperly by Turkish armed forces,” said Matsakis, one of six Cypriot MEPs.
“While I welcome the move as being of some symbolic importance, demolition of this bridge does not solve the wider problems blighting the area."
“What is now needed is a complete de-militerisation and de-mining of the area.”
Centre-right EPP-ED MEP Yiannakis Matsis was more critical and demanded additional measures from the TRNC besides the removal of the footbridge.
Matsis said: “The problem is not the bridge, after all, it was built in violation of the existing status quo."
“The problem which really needs addressing is the continued presence on the island of 40,000 Turkish troops.”
The two communities have become ever more alienated since the Greek Cypriots rejected a United Nations sponsored peace plan in a referendum in 2004.
The island subsequently joined the EU but the Turkish Cypriot community is excluded.
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