The Foreign Ministry has issued a written statement concerning the Derynia and Lefke/Aplic border crossing points.
The statement said, inter alia, that significant progress has been achieved on work for the opening of both border crossings. Mine sweeping work continues and that contacts were held with various EU officials in order to obtain the necessary financial resources.
The ministry said in the statement that the opening of the two crossing points is a matter of priority for the government and pointed out that the government has shown strong political will in order to achieve the opening of the two crossing as soon as possible.
The ministry also dismissed some claims published in the press concerning this issue as inaccurate.
The statement recalled that an agreement had been reached between the two leaders in the framework of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) about the opening of the Derynia and Lefke-Aplic crossings. It added that the government had begun work in both areas without any delay, after the technical committees discussed this issue.
According to the statement, all related organisations are in full cooperation with international organizations regarding the task of finding the necessary financial resources that will be used for infrastructure and the widening and the asphalting of the road.
The statement added that the mine clearing work in the area, which is being carried out in cooperation with UN experts, was expected to be completed by the end of December. However, because of their coordinated efforts, they now should be completed in November.
The necessary process of certification, in accordance with international requirements for the Derynia and Lefke areas, enabling the crossings to be opened for civilian use, is still continuing, the statement concluded.
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