Greek Part’s Lawmakers Back Bid to Join EU

The Greek Cypriot parliament unanimously approved the war-divided island’s bid to join the European Union. The vote clears the way for Cyprus to join nine other nations that also plan to join the EU in May.

The EU accepted the entire island as a member in April but with the provision that EU laws and benefits of membership -- which apply to the Greek Cypriot south -- will not be extended to the Turkish-controlled north until after reunification.

The Mediterranean island has been split into a Greek Cypriot-controlled south and a Turkish-occupied north since Turkey invaded in 1974 in the wake of an abortive coup by supporters of union with Greece.