UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus
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UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus |
The
UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus is a 300 km (187 mile)
separation barrier along the
1974 Green Line (or ceasefire line) between the self-proclaimed
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the internationally recognized
Republic of Cyprus. Constructed by
Turkey, it served to separate the northern 37% (mostly inhabited by
Turks and
Turkish Cypriots) of Cyprus, occupied by Turkish troops since 1974, from the southern part (mostly inhabited by ethnic
Greek Cypriots), and also divides the capital
Nicosia. Separation of people according to their ethnic background was not widespread prior to the Turkish invasion of 1974, which lead to the expulsion of 200.000 ethnic Greek Cypriots from the North, and also forced around 60.000 Turkish Cypriots to move to the North. The "Green Line" is also referred to as the
Turkish Cyprus barrier, or the
Atilla Line after the name given to the 1974 military intervention by Turkey (
Operation Atilla). The Buffer Zone is patrolled by
United Nations peacekeeping forces. Its width ranges from a few metres in
Nicosia to several kilometres near the village of
Athienou.
On the northern side of the Buffer Zone there exists a barrier constructed by the Turkish military. It consists mainly of barbed wire fencing, a few concrete wall segments, watch-towers, anti-tank ditches, and minefields.
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The UN buffer zone is shown in blue on the map |
Tensions along the barrier have arisen several times in the past, with the latest civilian incident taking place in
1996, when in a demonstration at
Deryneia, a Greek Cypriot was beaten to death by Turkish Cypriots while trying to cross the Green Line. The following day another Greek Cypriot man was shot and killed trying to climb up a flag-pole to retrieve a Turkish Cypriot flag.
After a near 30-year ban on crossings, the Turkish Cypriot
de facto government significantly eased travel restrictions across the dividing line in April
2003, by allowing Greek Cypriots to cross at the
Ledra Palace Crossing located just outside the walls of old Nicosia. Today a total of 5 crossings exist :
*Astromerits/Zodia
*Agios Dometios
*Ledra Palace
*Pila
*Agios Nikolaos
Further crossings are planned but have not yet materialized.Prior to Cypriot accesion to the
European Union, there were restrictions on Green Line crossings by foreigners imposed by the (Greek) Cypriot government, but these have abolished for EU-citizens by
EU-regulation 866/2004 [
1]. Generally citizens of any country are permitted to cross the green line, including Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Passports are required for entry into the Turkish side, but they are not stamped.
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Separation barrier*
Cyprus dispute*
Associated Press: Barriers Slowly Eroding for Cyprus
