Turkish North Cyprus lifted visa checks with the south of the island in a symbolic gesture as peace talks get underway.
Police officers from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will no longer ask people crossing from the south of the island to fill out a form containing passport data that, once stamped, acted as a form of visa.
It was lifted over the weekend after an unpublicised trial run last Friday, as Turkish Cypriot president Mustafa Akıncı and Nicos Anastasiades, the Greek Cypriot president of the Republic of Cyprus.
The two leaders agreed to draw up measures for mutual trust that both communities would benefit from, with the lifting of ‘visa’ requirements being one.
FAMAGUSTA CALL
Also over the weekend, Turkish and Greek Cypriots met to demand the opening of another crossing in Famagusta, on the east of the island.
On Saturday, members of the “Famagusta, our City” and Turkish Cypriot “Famagusta Initiative” groups assembled on the either sides of the divide to voice their demand for opening a road dubbed the “Avenue for the Return”.
The Cyprus Mail reported the groups saying in a joint declaration that “opening the road would promote co-operation and cultivate dialogue, thus building trust between the two communities and peace in Cyprus”.
CONFIDENCE BUILDING
The two community leaders instructed their negotiators, Andreas Mavroyiannis and Özdil Nami, to come up with a joint list of confidence-building measures that could be announced at their next meeting, which is expected to take place on Friday 28 May.
These may include the opening of more crossing, but local press reported the negotiators were also asked to come up with other ideas.
There are seven crossings between North and South Cyprus, with two located inside the British base at RAF Dhekelia.
The Cyprus Mail said the most likely locations for future crossings were Dherynia, Pyroi-Athienou, and Lefka, the last of which is wanted by Turkish Cypriots.
There are also rumours of demands for a crossing at Paphos Gate in Nicosia’s old town, the paper reported.