Greek pop star off-key on Cyprus
Lefteris Pantazis, one of Greece’s best-known pop singers, found out over the weekend how far from a solution the Cyprus issue is, despite the ease with which people are crossing the island’s dividing line. Pantazis had to cancel a concert at a hotel in Turkish-occupied Kyrenia on Saturday after being warned by Cypriot officials that he would break the law by appearing there. The hotel is owned by a Greek Cypriot, Anastassios Karyolou, and has been operated by Turkish Cypriots illegally after 1974. Pantazis appeared on stage as his show was about to start. «I won’t be able to perform my show because a great problem has arisen and I don’t want it to get worse,» he said. «We’ll be together some other time.» Pantazis said political «friends» had told him he could perform in northern Cyprus but not spend the night there. Government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said: «It is sad that well-known Greek artists appear to be unaware of the political reality and the political ramifications of the limited easing of travel restrictions by the occupation forces.»
