Denktash makes historic visit to Greek Cypriot leader

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash crossed into the Greek Cypriot-controlled part of Cyprus today for the first time since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

About 600 Greek Cypriot opponents of the Denktash visit demonstrated as the Turkish leader was driven under police escort to the Cypriot president’s residence in Nicosia.

President Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, had invited Dentash for dinner as a sign of improving relations as the two men prepare for negotiations intended to reunite the island.

Denktash’s motorcade avoided the direct route to Clerides’ home through the town’s main square where about 300 demonstrators were waiting for him.

A huge cloth banner draped on the medieval walls in the square proclaimed: ‘‘No dinner with the occupier of Cyprus while the occupation continues.’’

Clerides welcomed Denktash at the entrance to his home and the two men then shook hands smiling as they posed briefly for photographers.

Another 300 demonstrators were kept away from Clerides’ residence by police barriers.

The dinner reciprocates Clerides’ own trip to northern Cyprus on December 5, following an agreement by the two leaders to resume on January 16 the long-deadlocked United Nations-sponsored talks for the reunification of the island.

Anti-dinner demonstrations took place earlier in the day with a small rally at the UN checkpoint linking the divided capital by Greek Cypriot refugees and relatives of 1,600 Greek Cypriots missing.

The Turkish Cypriot leader, who is backed by Ankara, had previously refused to meet Clerides directly and to return to the reunification talks unless his breakaway state was recognised and Cyprus ended its entry negotiations with the European Union.

The change followed strong criticism by the EU of Turkish threats that it would annex the occupied north if Cyprus joined the EU, something expected by 2003.