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Turkey plan for Cyprus settlement
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS(CNN) -- Turkey has put forward an "action plan" aimed at moving Turkey and Greece closer to a settlement over the divided island of Cyprus, beginning with the elimination of many "economic restrictions on the island." The plan proposed by Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on Tuesday includes opening Turkish ports to Greek Cypriot ships, allowing Greek Cypriot planes to fly over Turkish territory and use Turkish airports, and opening Turkish Cypriot ports and the airport to international business. The move comes amid Turkey's bid for European Union membership. Gul called for a high level meeting later this year under the auspices of the United Nations to begin work on implementing the plan. "We need a solution," he told CNN. "For that, there is a need to take some steps. So we prove our sincerity for a solution. That's why we make this proposal. We hope this can open the way to a comprehensive solution." But, he said, the plan was not a substitute for that comprehensive solution. "I believe we can build confidence between the two sides with this action plan," he said. "We propose to lift all kind of economic restrictions on the island." "With this action plan we offer to open our seaports, our airports, but also Greek Cypriot side should remove economic embargoes imposed on the Turkish side." Cyprus won independence from Britain in 1960, but its Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority remained at odds, coming to a head in 1963 when violence broke out in the capital, Nicosia. The island became divided in 1974 when the Turkish military intervened in a Greek-sponsored attempt to take over the Cypriot government. In 1983, the Turkish-controlled area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. Mehmet Ali Talat, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, said he had participated in planning the steps Gul announced and had been prevented from traveling to Turkey to attend his news conference by bad weather. "We support it clearly, openly and strongly will do all we can to make sure it works," he said. The latest round of talks ended when the Greek Cypriots, in a 2004 referendum, rejected a U.N. settlement plan. 
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