Will the border crossings from the south close ?

[Walshey68]

Does anybody know the likelihood that the border crossings from the south will be closed if there is no agreement reached on the island? I have only ever flown into Larnaca but am interested to know if might only become possible to fly into Ercan. Thanks

[Keithcaley]

Well, there isn't any agreement at the moment, nor has there been for the past 40 years, and the crossing points are still open...

I would have thought that if the situation were to remain the same, then the crossing points would remain the same!

[Walshey68]

Thanks Keith. I only asked as I understand they were only opened in 2003 so hopefully they will remain open.

[waddo]

I understand that the opening/closing of border crossing points is down to the UN and nobody else. The big question should be - will the UN stay once the current talks fail? There is a lot of talk of massive reductions and possible total withdrawal of UNFICYP going on at the moment, maybe the 60 year holiday camp is about to close??

[jacob]

Indeed, the UN are talking about withdrawal.

Many changes coming me thinks.

[Walshey68]

Thanks Waddo and Jacob, might be interesting to wait and see what happens with the UN in that case before buying in the north?

[waddo]

Walshey68, the TRNC has always been "You pays your money and you take your chance". Regardless of the crossing points being open or closed - and when we first came they were closed - with hand on heart, I can only say that if everything stays the same then nothing will change! TRNC will grow bigger, Ercan airport is being upgraded and expanded (don't like the thought of the 500mtr long tunnel under the runway myself) and that is big money being spent - something is afoot - so why worry?

Do your homework well, make very sure the property you want has free and clean title, remember it is all about location and that buildings grow like weeds out here. Then come and rent for a while - that is fairly safe. Good luck but don't wait forever or you will be too late.

[karmels]

Waddo, the crossing points were not opened by the UN, but Sirdar Denktas. this took the greeks by suprise but you were only allowed to walk over and it only applied to TCs. We both have kimlik cards and tried to walk over at Ledra the only crossing point in those days, only to be turned back by a very young Greek female police officer who said that our kimlik card was Dentas Junta.
So if the TCs opened the border I feel they can close it, but with all the work going on on new crossings this is most unlikely.

[turtle]

If the talks come to an end..... and effectively they have, and with the airport upgrade that is going on I can only see direct flights to Ercan being the norm in the next few years. 
The penny has finally dropped with the UN that there will be no agreement on the Cyprus issue so what is there left ?.    

[waddo]

karmels, point taken, perhaps I gave the wrong impression? Either side can open/close any crossing point for sure - of course both sides have to be in agreement otherwise it is a pointless exercise in that if the North opened one a point A and the South opened one at point B then nobody could get across anyway - lol. However, it is the UN who are responsible for ensuring that only authorised goods/persons can enter/leave the buffer zones and therefore they first have to agree that a crossing point can be opened. The UN can withdraw it's permission to allow goods/persons to enter/leave the buffer zone as it pleases.

I can remember crossing at Ledra in 98 but from the South to the North, that used to cost £1.00 and was a terrible experiance.

[karmels]

Thanks waddo, I wasn't having a dig I enjoy all your posts. we arrived here in December 1993 and set up our restaurant in Ozankoy.

[pc4854]

I was under the impression that it was the EU who opened the crossing as the RoC were told that EU citizens have a right of entry into any EU country.

[karmels]

That was twelve months after the border opened, it was only open to TCs walking over, then it was open to all with Kiemia being a drive over point.

[Ragged Robin]

If the UN does withdraw, and no Agreement for reunification is reached, who will control the buffer zones? I see another great big argument starting! As the old curse goes "may you live in interesting times" (and if they are not interesting enough for you already , move to Cyprus )

[Keithcaley]

If the UN does withdraw, and no Agreement for reunification is reached, who will control the buffer zones? I see another great big argument starting! As the old curse goes "may you live in interesting times" (and if they are not interesting enough for you already , move to Cyprus )

I can't see that remaining a problem for long - as soon as the UN departed, they'd be at each other's throats again, and the UN would have to put a peacekeeping force in place!

[Keithcaley]

Duplicated post deleted

[waddo]

Keith, the UN's current plan is to reduce (drastically) the numbers of UNFICYP and to have the armed forces of both Turkey and Greece placed in charge of the buffer zone. You have to really dig around the UN website to find this information by the way but it is slowly coming to light as hopes for the current talks fade away. So I don't think that the "People" of either side would be at each other's throats because the forces in charge of the buffer zone would have the responsibility to stop that happening - the world press would be watching with great interest what would happen and videos plus pictures can be pasted onto YouTube very fast these days - no more lies can be told!

I also feel that if the RoC did do something really stupid that this next time Turkey would not stop at the Green Line and the RoC know that - it's all hot air and pie in the sky at the moment but it is interesting watching the RoC squirm around trying to place the blame for everything on the North.

[jacob]

It would be in Erdogan's interest for him him to annexe the North, after all, all of the development is paid for by Turkey and its wealthy investors.

[Rosehillgirl]

Hi,

If I remember rightly the border opened to everyone (except Turkish citizens) in 2004 when we lived out there. At first it was only TC's but after the RoC joined the EU they couldn't legally deny us entry to an EU country if we had an EU passport . I seem to remember them arguing at the time that we couldn't cross as we'd entered the island illegally (through Ercan) but they had to relent.

I'm sure that after Brexit they'll make a bit of a stand and refuse us entry/exit just to make a point. We will have no rights to cross into RoC from the TRNC as we won't be EU citizens. Of course it may not happen-but I bet they'll try it just to cause problems for the TRNC and put tourists off from visiting.

[gary&shirley]

Don't know if there is any truth to this however it sounds reasonable to me: Speaking to a very knowledgeable Turkish Cypriot the other day who stated that an agreement has already come about, Cyprus will become United Cyprus with the majority of occupied lands staying as is, the border being removed and each side having their own administration, a referendum will take place soon in which both sides will vote yes, Turkish Cypriots because they want to get away from Turkey and be part of the EU and the Greek Cypriots because they lost a lot of their savings after the Greece financial issue the other year. When asked how do you come to that conclusion I was informed that the USA paid 90% of the water pipe project costs, Israel are paying for a pipeline to transport gas from the South across to Turkey to join the EU connection which of course allows us to not be reliant on Russian Gas and a new water pipeline will be laid from here down to the South to assist in the natural gas to liquid gas conversation process, in other words superpowers have put a lot of money and resources into this Island so have therefore already agreed on a way forward. He also stated that we should not worry about property as no one would loose anything and of course prices in the North would go up. Take this statement as you wish I am only passing on what I was told whether it comes true or not is another matter but as with most conspiracy theories there is normally some truth to them!!!!

[waddo]

If they do it fast enough then I will be able to swop my UK/EU licence for a UC (Unified Cyprus)/EU licence instead and be 100% legal for the first time in many years - bonus! I just hope that the Church in the South is also on board with it or it will all come to nothing.

[David]

If the above were to happen what would happen to the currency on the island ?

[waddo]

The RoC and the EU plus our president want the North to go across to the Euro as soon as the North is fully in the EU - the TL will no longer be in use from the date they pick. Now that is going to be fun! I guess I will just open a Euro account and transfer my millions of TL into that - life will go on but I think it will become even more expensive. I can not see the Cypriots missing out on just changing the TL price into the same figures in Euro's can you?

[David]

A lot of people would be looking at that scenario to see if the lira were to strengthen would it be better to change money back to sterling rather than Euros

[kerry 6138]

Dont suppose they will rush to bring immigration dept. In line with EU and lose all the revenue from blood test and 12 month visit visa's.

[turtle]

[quote][I'm sure that after Brexit they'll make a bit of a stand and refuse us entry/exit just to make a point. We will have no rights to cross into RoC from the TRNC as we won't be EU citizens. Of course it may not happen-but I bet they'll try it just to cause problems for the TRNC and put tourists off from visiting.quote]

If this was to happen then it will effect every other non EU passport holder ?......would they do that ?

[waddo]

kerry 6138, Don't think it is a case of "Them" not rushing to bring immigration dept in line with EU - the new name being spread about is "Unified Cyprus" which means, by default, that both sides join as one under a single Government.

That single government being represented by both Greek and Turkish Cypriots (and eventually of course by Cyprus citizens of other Initial Nationalities) - the immigration dept and its laws and regulations are already in place under the RoC Government and whilst both sides do enjoy reinventing the wheel from time to time, I have no doubt that certain things - such as immigration will simply flow along as normal "Under a single Government"!

[kerry 6138]

Unless the "Unified Cyprus " is to leave and reapply to join The EU, its laws are enshrined in EU regulations hence the North trying to replicate these regulations to enable a smooth transition.

[terry2366]

I'm impressed you all think a settlement is a given after 43 years wow when I read the reports it translates to me that it's come to an end. Plan whatever is coming the UN will push for sme recognition as they have had enough and move out leaving just a small office here. Toyota contract cancelled lots of white double cabs for sale. Mr Nasty takes his millions and retires somewhere nice. No euro still lira Mr E turns this into a little Macou for his escapees and we all live happily ever after. GC want to close the border but big business says no we need the money.

[waddo]

Nope, I don't think that a settlement coming out of the current peace talks is a given! In fact I don't think that the peace talks will have measure of success at all because the RoC do not want a settlement to happen that way. It would mean they would have to give up something and in giving up something they would have to admit other things - that will never happen as the world already knows that the RoC is a poor, downtrodden place full of refugees from 74 who are barely able to exist on the refugee payments they and their sons receive. Meanwhile the North is full of rabid, rapeing Turks all inflicted with AID's and TB just waiting their chance to come charging down to continue what they did in 74 - they obviously can not be trusted one little bit and will not give back any of the land that they stole from the South. It's not the common people who think this, simply the Government of the common people who want them to think it.

I do think that the bubble has now burst and that the UN have realised that they are simply wasting their time and money on a situation that the "Cypriots" can not solve themselves. I do think that the eyes of the World are on Cyprus, in particular Russia, Turkey, USA and Israel and that money and pressure is being brought to bear to solve the problem. When it comes down to it, it is all about GAS, oil is nice to have but GAS makes the meters tick and the world needs it.

I think the trick will be getting the Governments of both sides to agree upon a proposed solution that allows them both to save face! Then it will all happen very quickly and Cyprus (which is the whole Island) being already in the EU will simply press on.

[kerry 6138]

Dont believe there's a settlement either, EU muddied the water accepting ROC into EU,any international recognition / annexation would be a snub to the EU not just the RoC.

[waddo]

EU accepted "Cyprus" - the whole Island - into the EU, they later admitted that they should not have done so until the current division between the North and South had been rectified. There would be no snub to the EU or the RoC once the name for the Island has been changed to incorporate both the North and the South - Unified Cyprus! Perhaps this can shed a bit more light on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_ ... pean_Union

[kerry 6138]

Who would/could impose unification on Cyprus if they can't agree on a bizonal agreement by themselves?, it takes more than a name change.