President Mehmet Ali Talat in a statement issued through his Spokesman Hasan Erçakıca on 28 December 2006, pointed out that he decided for the demolition of the footbridge, which was claimed to have been an obstacle for the opening of Lokmacı Border Gate, with the aim of contributing to the decision of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides to resume the comprehensive negotiations in the first quarter of 2007 and to the development of cooperation between the two peoples.

President Mehmet Ali Talat speaking during "Akis" program of BRT channel stated that following the demolition of the footbridge at Lokmacı Border Gate, he expected the Greek Cypriot side to dismantle the wall and open the border gate.

Reacting to Papadopoulos’ statement that removal of the symbols was a precondition to open the border gate, President Talat said: "In the TRNC, it is us who will decide what to put and to where. Papadopoulos has nothing to say about the TRNC. Our symbols will remain there. Are there no symbols in the South?"

Talat explaining that the Greek Cypriot side had reacted to the footbridge, which was built with the aim of creating an alternative for the opening of the border gate said however the Greek Cypriot side with its campaign that the bridge had in fact a separating role, spread the belief that it was unnecessary.

Pointing to the fact that despite Papadopoulos showed the bridge as an excuse for not dismantling the wall between the two sides and is now putting forward other conditions for not doing this, Talat said unfortunately he has not been criticized by anyone. President said: "This wall of shame should be dismantled" and added that the symbols have spiritual meaning for the Turkish Cypriots and no one had the right to say a word on this.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcı in a written statement issued yesterday commented on the developments regarding the Lokmacı Border Gate. Foreign Minister Avcı stated that despite the Turkish Cypriot side within the framework of its good will started to demolish the footbridge, the Greek Cypriot side with its new preconditions put forward for the opening of Lokmacı Border Gate once more proved that it did not want to open new crossing points in the island.

"It has been evaluated that our efforts including the removal of the said footbridge towards opening of the Lokmacı border gate for crossings of two peoples and other visitors of the island, which was also welcomed by the international community particularly the UN and the EU, will not be reciprocated by the Greek Cypriot side which creates new excuses”, Foreign Minister Avcı said.

Avcı called upon the Greek Cypriot administration to give up its tough and intransigent stance and the policy of op0,posing the openings, which would help building confidence between them and the TRNC.

It has been stated by the TRNC Presidency that the statements made by the Greek Cypriot leadership regarding the Lokmacı Gate is directed towards concealing its own responsibilities over the political developments.

At the weekly press conference held by the Presidential Spokesman Hasan Erçakıca, it has been reminded that the counterpart of the Greek Cypriot side for the Cyprus Issue is the Turkish Cypriot side.

Underlining that the Turkish Cypriot side possesses the will and competence to sustain the efforts regarding a settlement, Spokesman Erçakıca said “Recent developments can be interpreted as the evidence of the said will and capacity”.