NICOSIA - A Greek Cypriot woman ended up in court and a Turkish man was deported after their affair crossed the boundaries of politics in ethnically-divided Cyprus. The couple were arrested when the woman tried to bring her boyfriend into the Greek Cypriot side of Cyprus on Dec. 31 so they could see in the New Year together. The Turkish man, a student, was considered an illegal immigrant and arrested. The woman was accused of harbouring an illegal immigrant and freed on a 1,000 Cyprus pound ($2,106) bond. "He was deported. Back to Turkey through Athens," a police source told Reuters.

Greek and Turkish Cypriots have lived separately for decades on Cyprus, partitioned in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief Greek Cypriot coup. An almost blanket ban on contact between the two groups was eased in 2003 when Turkish Cypriots eased decades-old restrictions on crossings. Authorities on both sides make distinctions between individuals of "Cypriot" origin whose families have been on the island for generations, and newcomers. Thousands of Turkish nationals live in northern Cyprus, a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognised only by Ankara. Cyprus's internationally-recognised government regards them as illegal settlers and does not permit them to visit the Greek Cypriot area. Reuters