Ankara welcomes agreement on disputed Cyprus road

ANKARA

Ankara has expressed satisfaction over the agreement reached between Turkish Cyprus and U.N. peacekeepers regarding the construction of a disputed road leading to the village of Pyla.

The new road will offer direct access to Pyla for Turkish Cypriots, bypassing a checkpoint at the northern border of a British military base.

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Oct. 9, stating, "As emphasized by the [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] TRNC authorities, projects that can be designed or implemented within the framework of the agreement in the Pyla region, as well as in the entire buffer zone, must be subject to the approval of the Turkish Cypriots."

The resolution comes in the wake of a recent clash between Turkish Cypriot forces and the peacekeepers in August. The altercation ensued when the latter impeded road construction efforts in Pyla, which is situated within the U.N.-monitored buffer zone.

Turkish Cypriot officials argue that the road project aims to serve a "humanitarian objective" by simplifying access for Pyla village residents. However, the Greek side views the construction as a potentially military-motivated move within a sensitive buffer zone.

Meanwhile, Türkiye voiced its discontent over the 2023 Vaclav Havel Human Rights Award being presented to businessman Osman Kavala, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the Gezi Park case.

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) head Tiny Kox announced Kavala as the recipient of the award at a ceremony held in Strasbourg. Kavala's wife, Ayşe Buğra Kavala, represented him at the event, which took place during the PACE General Assembly.

In another statement released by the ministry, it was declared, "It is unacceptable that the Václav Havel Human Rights Award was given to a person who has a final conviction by the judiciary in our country."

The statement further asserted that this decision constitutes "disrespect for the judicial verdict" and has significantly harmed the reputation and credibility of the PACE.

Established in 2013, the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Award is presented by PACE in collaboration with the Prague-based Vaclav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation. The award includes a diploma, a plaque and a monetary prize of 60,000 euros.