KKTC PM assures security for Church service

The bomb explosion occurred early on Friday in the doorway of the church, causing some damage but no injuries on the eve of the first service planned there in 30 years.

Greek Cypriots are expected to conduct a service at the Church on Wednesday and Thursday. But there were Greek Cypriot media reports questioning if that would be safe.

"This is a safe country," Anatolia news agency quoted Talat as saying. The government is taking the necessary measures," he said referring to the issue.

The target of the attack was the Ayios Mamas church in the northwest Cypriot town of Guzelyurt, known as Morphou in Greek. Anti-Greek Cypriot slogans were daubed on walls of the church.

Talat said he had no knowledge of the outcome of a Turkish Cypriot police investigation launched after the incident, according to the agency. Police there earlier said they believed a fire-bomb had been thrown at the church, which ignited other accelerants planted earlier outside the church.

The church is scheduled to hold its first religious service for decades in a gesture aimed at promoting reconciliation between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. Turkish nationalists strongly oppose the move.

The attack attracted swift condemnation from both the KKTC government and the Greek Cypriot administration of the divided island.

Athens echoed the Greek Cypriot government’s condemnation last week. "The attack on the Ayios Mamas Church is poisoning Cyprus’ peace atmosphere that is indispensable for a solution," Anatolia quoted Greek Government Spokesman Theodoros Rusopulos as saying.

Greek Cypriot government spokesman Kipros Hristodimidis in a written statement condemning the assault said, "It was aimed at poisoning the calm atmosphere needed for eventual reunification of the island."

The Mediterranean island’s internationally-recognised Greek Cypriot administration joined the European Union on May 1 without the north’s Turkish Cypriots, despite U.N.-sponsored reunification efforts. The KKTC is recognised only by Turkey.