Greek Cypriot Confidence-building Proposals Rejected As A Diversion

NICOSIA, July 16 (AFP) - The Greek Cypriot leadership proposed a series of confidence-building measures Friday to pave the way for renewed reunification talks for the divided island, but the Turkish Cypriots dismissed the package as a diversion from an overall settlement.
The Greek Cypriots proposed reciprocal military pullbacks from the UN-patrolled ceasefire line, return of the abandoned resort of Varosha and joint use of the Turkish-controlled port of Famagusta.
But Turkish Cypriot prime minister Mehmet Ali Talat rejected the proposals, saying they would only get in the way of the revival of a UN reunification plan that was rejected by Greek Cypriot voters in an April referendum at the behest of their leadership.
"This is an initiative in confidence-building measures to help create a climate of security between the two communities," government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides told reporters as he unveiled the package.
The Greek Cypriot National Guard would disengage from the "Green Line" in Nicosia where troops from both sides are at their closest point, plus it would pull back in the Dherynia and Strovilia areas in the southeast of the island.
Curbs would also be imposed on war games, helping to establish a military-free area of two kilometres (1.2 miles) on either side of the 180-kilometre (110-mile) ceasefire line.
But an aide to Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos added that the proposals were not unilateral and the Turkish Cypriot premier insisted there would be no reciprocation.
"These measures are a diversion from the real issues. We cannot achieve anything by different packages of measures. The target on Cyprus should be a comprehensive solution," Talat said.
The Greek Cypriots also called for the return of the resort of Varosha, a ghost town ever since Turkey`s 1974 invasion of the island`s northern third, in return for the government`s agreement to the opening of the Turkish-held port of Famagusta to international trade under the joint control of the two communities.
But the only proposal to which the Turkish Cypriot premier raised no objection was the opening of eight more crossing points across the Green Line, over and above the three that have operated since the Turkish Cypriots eased travel restrictions in April 2003.
Cyprus joined the European Union on May 1 just a few days after Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected the UN reunification plan.
The community has come under heavy international pressure for snubbing the blueprint which was endorsed by the Turkish Cypriots.
Moreover, they are on a collision course with the European Union over the bloc`s proposal to conduct direct trade with the north which they argue is illegal.
Cyprus has been divided since a Greek-engineered coup sparked the 1974 invasion. Turkey still deploys more than 30,000 troops in the north of the island.