Progress on reunification of Cyprus

5.11.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 3rd Apr 2008

Sarah welcomed Turkish Cypriot president Mehmet Ali Talat (centre) to the European Parliament last year with her LibDem MEP colleagues Andrew Duff (right) and Chris Davies (left).

Ledra Street, formerly the main shopping street in Nicosia, Cyprus has re-opened and Europe's last divided capital comes one step closer to being reunited.

Baroness Ludford, a long standing friend of Cyprus, told the Famagusta Gazette:

"I am enormously excited and encouraged at the opening of the Ledra Street crossing. This end to a 40-year old barrier is of great significance for the EU as well as for the island's people. Cypriots surely owe it to themselves to make 2008 the year of peace and reunification."

"For anyone that has followed recent news in the Balkans and the Middle East it is easy to become pessimistic, however recent wonderful developments in Cyprus show that reconciliation is possible, giving hope to divided communities across the world"

You can read the full article from the Famagusta Gazette here:

http://www.Famagusta-gazette.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=69&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=2407&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2350&hn=famagusta-gazette&he=.com