Cyprus denies it is seeking embassy in Ankara

THE government yesterday denied that it was seeking to open an embassy in Ankara following the approval of the protocol extending Turkey’s EU customs union agreement with the 10 new member states, including Cyprus.

Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that no such request had been made.

“We have not asked to open an embassy in Ankara,” he said. Asked if the government intended to request that an embassy be opened, he said: “At this stage there is no such intention.”

However, Chrysostomides said that as far as opening Turkish ports to Cypriot ships and Turkish air space to Cypriot traffic, it was Turkey’s obligation to do so under the protocol as part of its responsibilities towards the EU.

The spokesman was responding to statements made yesterday by Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan, who, questioned about reports that the Greek Cypriots wanted to open an embassy, said Turkey did not recognise and “would continue not to recognise the Greek Cypriot part of Cyprus”.

“There is no issue of opening a diplomatic representation with something that we don’t recognise,” he added.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said on Tuesday the opening of Turkey’s ports to Greek Cypriots was impossible while a Greek Cypriot boycott remains over the ‘TRNC’ seaports and airports. “Signing of the Supplementary Protocol does not mean opening these ports. The opening of Turkey’s ports is not the point at issue,” he said.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.