Turkey has agreed to open an airport and a port to Greek Cypriots in return for the opening of a Turkish Cypriot airport and a port to the international community, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Thursday.

Anatolia said that Turkey on Wednesday sent a message to the European Union (EU), proposing to open one of its ports and an airport to Greek Cypriots on condition of lifting the siege on Turkish Cypriot Ercan Airport and Magusa port.

The EU ambassadors, who are scheduled to convene on Wednesday to discuss the EU position on Turkey, have to postponed their meeting until Thursday after receiving the newly offered Turkish proposal.

However, Turkish Foreign Ministry failed to confirm the reports, but said "the talks on the issue are continuing" without elaboration.

Last week, the European Commission recommended to partially suspend Turkey's membership talks as Ankara refused to open its ports to traffic from Greek Cyprus.

In order to avert the partially suspension of its EU entry talks, Turkey offered the new proposal at the very key moment.

Turkey has been defying repeated EU demands to open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus, insisting that the international community must first move to ease the isolation of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", which is recognized only by Ankara.

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

The internationally-recognized Republic of Cyprus entered the EU in the year of 2004 in the name of the whole island.

The EU has said that Turkey, with which it began membership talks in October last year, must open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus this year under the additional protocol, otherwise it will end the accession talks with Turkey.

Source: Xinhua