Turkish, Greek sides of Cyprus joined by cell service

ANKARA

Ushering in a new era of connectivity on Cyprus, Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders made phone calls to each other on Thursday to publicize cellphone interoperability across the island.

“Today, the leaders announced the implementation of the interoperability of mobile phones across the island with the aim of improving the communication between the communities and bringing all Cypriots closer together,” Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades said in a statement with the Turkish Cypriot president.

“The achievement of this confidence building-measure underlines the importance of dialogue, trust and co-operation between both sides,” the statement added.

The statement went on to say that Mustafa Akinci, president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and Anastasiades discussed arranging a meeting to evaluate “the current state of play on the Cyprus problem as well as furthering more potential CBMs [confidence-building measures] which will affect positively the daily lives of all Cypriots.”