Cyprus leaders agree to lift visa requirementsMay 16, 2015 - 12:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The leaders of the Greek and Turkish parts of Cyprus have appeared to make progress, with both sides promising to step up peace talks and relax visa regulations on the divided island, according to News.com.au. The four-hour meeting in Nicosia on Friday, May 16, took place after talks had been stalled for months and following the recent election of Mustafa Akinci, a moderate, as president of Turkish Cyprus. The sides agreed to meet at least twice a month, with the next session scheduled for May 28. As a measure of good faith, Akinci agreed that southerners will no longer need a visa to cross to the Turkish north, said UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide. Also, Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiade presented Akinci with coordinates of 28 minefields, as a gesture from his side. Akinci said the meeting was "productive" while Anastasiades said there was a "positive climate," according to local broadcasters. The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north following a Greek-led coup seeking a union with Athens. Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, but membership only applies to the southern area. The Turkish Cypriots remain isolated, with the country only recognised by Ankara and remaining heavily dependent on Turkey. Uniting the island remains a complicated task and compensation for people affected by the conflict, including tens of thousands displaced, is a key concern. Cyprus pulled out of talks in October after Turkey said it planned to explore for gas and oil off the island's southern coast. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |