DISMANTLING OF ROAD BLOCK, WATCHED BY UNTIED NATIONS POLICE.




Initials PBS/VS/BOB/MM



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Background: THE CYPRUS GOVERNMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED AS PLAN AIMED AT RELAXING TENSION IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE ISLAND WHERE GREEK AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS ARE IN ARMED CONFRONTATION.

UNDER THE SCHEME GREEK ARMED POSTS WOULD BE LEFT UNMANNED AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL FREELY IN THE LIMASSOL AND PAPHOS DISTRICTS WHICH COVER A LARGE AREA OF THE WEST AND SOUTHEAST OF CYPRUS.

THE PEACE PLAN ALSO ALLOWS TURKS IN THE TWO DISTRICTS TO BUY WHAT ARE TERMED 'STRATEGIC ITEMS' - CEMENT, BUILDING IRON AND SIMILAR GOOD, STILL WITHHELD BECAUSE OF THEIR POSSIBLE MILITARY USE.

IN RECENT WEEKS AT LEAST ELEVEN PEOPLE, GREEKS AND TURKS, HAVE BEEN MURDERED IN THE PAPHOS DISTRICT IN A SERIES OF REPRISAL KILLINGS.

THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE FORCE IN CYPRUS HAS WELCOMED THE PEACE PLAN AS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS A FINAL SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM.

TURKISH LEADERS HAVE AGREED TO CO-OPERATE IN IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN, AND HAVE GIVEN AN ASSURANCE THEY WILL OCCUPY ANY POSITIONS VACATED BY THE GREEK NATIONAL GUARD.

UNITED NATIONS PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN PRESENT WHILE A NUMBER OF POLICE POSTS HAVE BEEN VACATED BY NATIONAL GUARD FORCES.