The Foreign Ministry has issued a statement regarding the violation of the buffer zone at the Baf Gate area under the Yiğitler Bastion in Lefkoşa by the Greek Cypriots under the observance of the UN.

In the statement issued by the ministry, it was noted that the Turkish Cypriot side expects the UN Peacekeeping Force to immediately cease the mis-implementation at the buffer zone.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding an article that has been published in the Halkın Sesi Newspaper that an area in the buffer zone that has been circled off with barriers around the Baf Gate region under the Yiğitler Bastion in Lefkoşa was opened by UN Peacekeeping Forces (UNFICYP) soldiers and some civilians in order to allow some Greek Cypriots to enter the region.

In its statement, the Ministry noted that officials from the UN Peacekeeping Forces were previously called to the Ministry and were protested and warned to abandon the practice.

In a statement made by the UN Peacekeeping Force on the issue, it was emphasized that the area was opened to the use of civilians, but it was obvious that the area was opened to the use of Greek Cypriots since Turkish Cypriots did not have access to the said area.

“We regard the statement made by the UN that the aforementioned area is ‘designated for civilian use’ as a great misfortune. Because the opening of the area for civilian use has never been on the agenda until now,” said the Foreign Ministry and added that the UN Peacekeeping Forces is expected to immediately revert from this wrong practice in the buffer zone and to restore the said area in the buffer zone to its status prior to the violations of Greek Cypriot civilians.