A LONDON-based Cypriot expert on shipping and IMO regulations said he believed Turkish Cypriots would face problems exporting their produce through Famagusta unless the Greek Cypriot government had some jurisdiction.
“That problem can only be resolved if some form of control is exercised over those ports by the Republic of Cyprus,” the expert said.
He said than when the northern part of the island was occupied in 1974 the Cyprus government gave a declaration to the IMO that the ports there were closed to international navigation.
“Since then the provisions related to the various maritime conventions have not been applied to ports in the north because the government of Cyprus, which is party to the various conventions cannot exercise control over them so it can not fulfil its obligations,” said the expert..
He added that if a ship docked in Famagusta port and took away produce and then at a later stage docked at a port in Cyprus under government control, “the master will be arrested, prosecuted and put in prison”.
“This has happened in the past,” he added.
He said also that even if the ship did not dock at another Cypriot port, the ship would “face problems vis a vis security because it would have conducted a shipboard interface with a port that is not covered by an approved security plan. “The ship will then be seen to have contaminated the port at which it next docks,” he said.
The expert added that Famagusta port would not be able to handle international shipping until the Cyprus government approved the port itself and then informed the IMO it was in operation under an approved security plan..
Furthermore, he said, the Turkish Cypriot authorities would not be able to approve and register Famagusta port because the breakaway state was not recognised internationally based on UN resolutions.
“As far as the IMO is concerned, the only legitimate representative of Cyprus is the legitimate government of the Republic of Cyprus,” said the expert. “That problem cannot be resolved. The only way for it to be resolved is if there is some control over the port by the Republic of Cyprus.”
Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce president Ali Erel denied, however, that such problems existed. “Everyone has the impression that the port at Famagusta is closed. It’s never been closed and ships under every flag have called there,” he told the Cyprus Mail.
He added: “The only thing that was missing was preferential treatment from the EU. That meant our produce could not compete in the market with full members of the EU. Now Verheugen’s document seems to give us the preferential treatment we need in order to compete”.
Erel said trading with non-EU member states had “never been a problem” and listed halloumi, citrus fruits, textiles and potatoes as agricultural products that were already in north Cyprus’s export portfolio.
Erel blamed the current low level of trade from the port on low investments in the north due to “high interest rates on the Turkish lira, expensive loans etc. All these things come together to add to the general level of stagnation”.
Overall, Erel believes the Commissions proposal on direct trade to be very positive development for the Turkish Cypriots.
