UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has urged both parties in Cyprus to prove in action that they are ready to resume talks for a settlement of the Cyprus problem, Cyprus media reported Monday from Geneva.

"What is important is not declaration of intent, but I would want to see actions from both sides that narrows the gap between words and action...that indicates the parties are ready to resume (talks) and move ahead in earnest", Annan was quoted by the semi- official Cyprus News Agency as saying.

Annan made the remarks in a joint press conference Monday with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in the Palais des Nations, in Geneva.

On his part, Ali said that efforts must be made "to assist the Turkish north in their development aspirations".

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of Cyprus following a coup by a group of Greek officers.

In 2004, the internationally-recognized Republic of Cyprus entered the EU in the name of the whole island.

The EU has said that Turkey, which began EU membership talks in October last year, must open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus this year under an agreement extending its customs union with the EU to the 10 new EU member states including Cyprus, otherwise it will end the accession talks with Turkey.

Source: Xinhua