WRAP Greeks demolish dividing wall in Nicosia. EU reaction ADDS AP pictures

Описание: (9 Mar 2007) SHOTLIST
++NIGHT SHOTS++
Nicosia, Cyprus - 8 March 2007
1. Wide of demolition scene
2. Mid of men working
3. Mid of bulldozer tearing down wall
4. Wide of bulldozer
5. Mid of workers
6. Close-up of bulldozer
++NIGHT SHOTS++
Nicosia, Cyprus - 8 March 2007
7. Close-up set up shot of Greek Cypriot government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Christodoulos Pashiardis, Greek Cypriot Government spokesman:
"We are going to demolish the wall as an indication of the goodwill of our side to facilitate the opening of the Ledras Street, that's all. Of course this is not the end. There are some more serious issues to be resolved for this way to be opened."
9. Mid of soldiers behind barbed wire
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Eleni Mavrou, Mayor of Nicosia:
"People will not be able to walk (across the checkpoint) tomorrow. I hope they will be able to walk from one side to the other very soon. It will mean a lot. It doesn't solve Cyprus' problem, it doesn't unite Nicosia or Cyprus, but it's a positive message, and we need positive messages."
11. Various of vehicle in street and security
++NIGHT SHOTS++
Brussels, Belgium - 8 March 2007
12. President of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos walking outside towards car
13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tassos Papadopoulos, Cypriot President (when asked about the wall being torn down in Cyprus):
"We are removing a road block so that everyone can see Turkey's occupying troops there."
14. Papadopoulos getting into car
15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Javier Solana, EU Foreign Policy Chief:
"I cannot be very precise at this point in time. I have been in touch with both sides, but I don't want to make any comment at this point in time, maybe in the coming hours we'll be able to do it. I hope that nothing dramatic will take place."
16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tassos Papadopoulos, Cypriot President:
"Tonight, we have demolished a checkpoint on our side. I think the demolition work will be completed in about two hours. We have been saying for a long time that once they agree to withdraw the troops, our checkpoint can be removed in just a few hours time, 24 hours time I said. So, now we will see whether Turkey's troops will withdraw so that the passage will be opened or not. Of course if the troops are not withdrawn, and the buildings on either side of the street are not strengthened, there cannot be passage. So this is what's happening now. We have been planning this move for more than fifteen days. I'm surprised that in Cyprus such a thing has been kept a secret until now."
++NIGHT SHOTS++
Nicosia, Cyprus - 8 March 2007
17. Wide of demolition scene
18. Mid of worker next to bulldozer plus pan up to checkpoint
19. Mid of bulldozer drilling into barrier
STORYLINE:
Greek Cypriots early on Friday demolished a wall along the boundary that splits the island's capital, Nicosia.
"Tonight, we have demolished a checkpoint on our side," Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos told reporters in Brussels.
"Now we will see whether Turkey's troops will withdraw so that the passage will be opened or not," Papadopoulos added.
A bulldozer began dismantling the wall late on Thursday in an unannounced move Papadopoulos said had been planned for more than 15 days.
A government spokesman on the scene said the Cypriot government had asked the Turkish government to engage in dialogue about the possibility of opening the barrier.
The Greek Cypriots claim the gesture passes the onus onto Turkey to remove their troops from the other side of the checkpoint.
The wall cuts across Ledras Street just ahead of the buffer zone that divides the two sides.

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