THE MAYOR of Famagusta yesterday spoke of an urgent need to strengthen foreign policy over a planned ferry service between the occupied town and Latakia in Syria, which supposedly begins today.
Alexi Galanos blamed the government as well as the Syrians, after the ferry service was announced last month.
“This is a stab in the back from a country long considered to be friendly towards us and which is suffering from a similar national problem as us,” he stated.
“We should be more united on our side but their exist faults, especially in our foreign policy, which sometimes gives the impression that its aims are to satisfy people at home, as opposed to tackling the real issues abroad.”
The mayor added that “something is clearly not right when the Turkish Cypriots are engaged in so much activity with foreign countries.”
Nicosia is worried the launch of a direct service to the north might upgrade the status of the breakaway regime.
It wants to know whether it is true that Turkish Cypriot officials have met Syrian ministers, whether there is an agreement with the ‘TRNC’ and whether the trips will go ahead, despite the government’s objections.
A promotional trip, the first in 28 years between the port of Famagusta and Latakia had taken place on September 22.
On Tuesday, the government’s envoy and Honorary President of the EDEK Social Democrats Movement, Vasos Lyssarides said he would travel to Syria on October 20 with the aim of normalising relations between both countries.
“We cannot afford to lose Syria’s support and I am sure that by following the right tactic and strategy we will return to our traditionally friendly relations that characterise and unite our countries,” Lyssarides said.
Moreover, a company in the occupied areas has announced two special routes today and on October 14 for the Eid celebrations and from October 18 onwards it will start scheduled routes.
Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Markoulli has addressed a warning letter to her Syrian counterpart, demanding an explanation, stating that Syria would be in violation of international law if it proceeds with the ferry service, given that the ‘TRNC’ is not a recognised state.
She stressed that she was expecting an answer from Syria before today.
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