Greek Cypriots propose troop pullback

The Greek Cypriot government yesterday offered to remove its forces from part of the ceasefire line which has divided the Mediterranean island for three decades provided Turkey did the same.

But initial reaction from Turkish Cypriots was dismissive, while the Turkish government in Ankara was non-committal.

In an apparent bid to seize the initiative on stalled peace efforts and turn world opinion back in their favour, the Cypriot government proposed a reciprocal military pullback from two areas along a tensely guarded ceasefire line and increasing the number of crossing points between the two sides.

"It is our conviction that these initiatives will form the basis of fostering trust and security among Greek and Turkish Cypriots," Greek Cypriot government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said.

He was speaking almost 30 years to the day after Turkey invaded north Cyprus in response to a brief Greek Cypriot coup engineered by the military then ruling Greece.

Turkish Cypriot prime minister Mehmet Ali Talat said the offer was misleading as the same result would have been achieved if the Greek Cypriots had accepted a UN power-sharing blueprint when it was offered to them last April.

"The proposals are a distraction from the real issues," Mr Talat told Turkey's NTV's news channel.

There was a more cautious response from Turkey. "Let's look at what they say. We'll evaluate (the proposal) with our (Turkish Cypriot) friends and then we will make a decision," Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said.

Turkish Cypriots won international praise for voting to reunify the island under a UN peace plan only to see the richer, majority Greek Cypriots reject it in a referendum.

The rejection meant only the Greek Cypriot part of the island was admitted into the European Union in May, consolidating the isolation of Turkish Cypriots who live under international trade embargoes.

Mr Talat reacted angrily to a second Greek Cypriot proposal that Nicosia could allow his enclave to trade directly with the EU on condition it hand back Varosha, an abandoned resort on the island's eastern coast fenced off by the Turkish army.

"Under the (UN) plan we would have been able to operate the Famagusta port and the Greek Cypriots would have had Varosha. How dare they suggest such a thing?" Mr Talat said.

The Greek Cypriots propose both sides disarm and disengage from the capital Nicosia and in the area of Famagusta.