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Divided Cyprus capital seeing progress - by George Psyllides
Greek Cypriots demolished a wall Friday along the boundary that for decades has split Europe's last divided capital, a dramatic and unannounced gesture that officials hope will promote reconciliation on the Mediterranean island. The wall cuts across Ledra Street, which runs through the heart of the city's tourist area and is seen as the strongest sym bol of the island's 32-year partition into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north.
Five crossings have operated on the island since 2003, but none is in the city center. Rasit Pertev, undersecretary of the Turkish Cypriot president's office, said the wall's demolition came as a surprise to Turkish Cypriot officials, according to Turkey's Anatolia news agency. "I believe [the Greek Cypriots] took this decision following pressure exerted on them. It is a positive step," Pertev said, adding that he hoped the crossing would be opened soon. The Greek Cypriot foreign minister called on Turkey to reciprocate by removing troops from the north of the island.
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