Menelaou says dispute over Pyroi crossing route resolved — Cyprus Mail

In Cyprus, problems with the route of the proposed crossing point in Pyroi have been overcome, but an agreement on new crossings is still being held up by a dispute over the Louroujina—Lympia connection. This was stated by Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou, Cyprus Mail reports.

Route through the buffer zone

The previous dispute concerned a road proposed to run from Athienou through Pyroi to Aglantzia, a suburb of Nicosia. The Greek Cypriot side viewed this route as one crossing point, while the Turkish Cypriot side objected because the road was to run through a substantial section of the buffer zone and, in its view, would create security complications.

According to Menelaou, the route will now run approximately equally through areas controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus and the northern part of the island. Pyroi is an abandoned village in the Turkish military zone, whose residents have been displaced since 1974. The new crossing could reduce the journey from Athienou to Nicosia from about an hour to around ten minutes.

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Differences over Louroujina

Menelaou called the Turkish Cypriot side's demand to include the Louroujina—Lympia crossing point in any agreement the main obstacle. According to him, this issue has not yet been reconciled with the Greek Cypriot side's proposal for a crossing in Kokkina.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said on October 20 that he had presented Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman with two new proposals for crossing points, one of which had already been rejected. Erhurman also confirmed the rejection of a proposal to open the fenced-off area of Varosha under UN administration and the port of Famagusta under European Union control.

In March 2025, after an expanded meeting in Geneva, the sides agreed on a package of four new crossing points. UN Secretary-General António Guterres then asked each side to propose two. The Greek Cypriot side proposed the Athienou—Aglantzia road with a crossing at each end, while the Turkish Cypriot side proposed points in Mia Milia and Louroujina.