Northern Cyprus lifts visa requirements for Greek Cypriots

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has announced the decision to lift the visa requirement for the travellers from the Greek part of Cyprus as part the peace talks, which have been brokered by the United Nations, on Friday.

The travellers from the Greek part will only be required to show their identification cards in order to cross to the Turkish part of Cyprus. An immigration officers will fill in traveling details for the travelers digitally at the border. The decision made by the Ministry of Interior Affairs will be in effect as of May 16.

The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north following a Greek-led coup seeking a union with Athens.

Mustafa Akıncı, the former mayor of Turkish Nicosia, recently won presidential elections in the north, beating out the conservative incumbent, and is seen as a moderate.

Greek administration of the Southern Cyprus pulled out of talks in October after Turkey said it planned to explore for gas and oil off the island's southern coast.