Cyprus President makes ports offer to Turkish side

Cypriot President Demetris Christofias said he was prepared to open ports and airports to commercial activities run by Turkish Cypriots from the northern half of the divided island.

"The Republic of Cyprus offers our compatriot Cypriot Turks who wish to export and import goods, to trade through the free ports and airports of the Republic of Cyprus," he told a meeting of the Council of Europe.

"This is a full official declaration I am making before you," he said.

The offer comes as the Greek and Turkish sides have been working on a deal to reunify Cyprus, which was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup.