Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos stressed on Monday that the Turkish occupation forces violate the buffer zone with work in the Ledra Street area, noting that tolerance does not bring validation.

  Invited to comment on the continued violations in the area, the president said "it is a total violation of the buffer zone. We hope that they realize that tolerance does not bring validation," he said.

  Invited to comment on removal by the occupation forces of barriers in the area that were earlier set up by the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) the President wondered "what do you want me to comment on? It is another example of Turkish Cypriots not even respecting UNFICYP," he added.

  Meanwhile Cyprus Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said after the cabinet meeting that the fact that the occupation forces are planning to annex even half of the buffer zone, is something which derives from their behavior.

  He reminded that their advance began at various sites, first at Strovilia, then Louroutzina and now there is the same intention in the Ledra Street area.

  He cited the delay until the opening of the Zodia crossing point and now with the way they want to open Ledra Street crossing. "You see the way they want to open the crossing. First by establishing the existence of the occupation, i.e. interfering in the buffer zone, just like they did in many other areas, and I think that for this reason we must be very careful and clear because the buffer zone is not under the Turkish forces' occupation," he said.

  "The occupation regime does not miss an opportunity to arrogantly exhibit that it can enforce its power. However," he added, this comes through the use of military force which is still illegal.

Foreign Minister George Iacovou has said that the Republic of Cyprus could not accept the violation of the buffer zone by the Turkish occupation forces in Ledra Street, Nicosia, adding that the government was waiting for the UN Secretary General's Special Representative Zbigniew Wlosowicz to return from New York ''to see what will happen.''

  Speaking on Sunday at Larnaca Airport, Iacovou said the government would stand by its position, which is crystal clear, and explained that in 1964 the Green Line was drawn and no one questions where the Turkish occupation troops were in 1964.

  He added that in 1974 the Turks took over part of the UN protected zone and that due to the fighting there the UN had withdrawn.

  Iacovou pointed out that the Turks were not justified in taking over territory under UN administration and that Cyprus had strongly complained about this action.

  He said no-one could obtain legitimate rights through an illegality, adding that ''as thieves cannot obtain ownership of something they have stolen, the Turks cannot obtain any rights over what they have blatantly violated.''

  ''We cannot accept this violation,'' Iacovou said.

Source: Athens News Agency

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