The small island state of Cyprus has to deal with a big opponent: Turkey. Relations between the two neighboring countries have been strained for a long time. Now the bitter dispute over maritime rights is boiling up. Turkey has imposed a second embargo on Cypriot ships, Cyprus Deputy Minister of State for Maritime Affairs Marina Chatzimanoli said recently.
Since 1987, the government in Ankara has prohibited ships flying the Cypriot flag from docking in Turkish ports. But recently Turkey extended its embargo against the small EU island republic again. It now also applies to ships under Cypriot management.
As part of the grain agreement between Ukraine and Russia, which provides for the release of Ukrainian ports, ships exporting grain are allowed to cross the Black Sea and the Bosphorus Straits. However, according to Chatzimanoli, Cypriot ships are exempt. “Turkey […] prevents any ship flying the Cypriot flag or any ship managed in Cyprus from participating in this process [meaning: the passage of ships through the Bosphorus],” Greek Cypriot media quote as saying Deputy Minister of State for Maritime Affairs.
The Cypriot shipping industry has now suffered significant losses from the Turkish embargo, which has been in place for more than three decades. While in July 2021 a total of 1,752 vessels with a capacity of 25 million tons were registered in Cyprus, in 2022 the fleet decreased to 1,663 vessels with a capacity of 22 million tons.
The anger in Cyprus about the two embargoes in shipping is great. The island state is therefore responding with resistance to Turkey’s candidacy for the post of Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The specialized agency of the United Nations is primarily responsible for the safety of international maritime traffic and the creation of fair competitive conditions for the shipping industry. And among the seven nominees up to the deadline a week ago (March 31) for the new office of Secretary General, which is to be filled at the beginning of 2024, there is also a Turkish candidate. According to Chatzimanoli, Cyprus itself intends to apply for re-election to the IMO Council for the period 2024-2025.
On the other hand, Cyprus’ closest ally Greece not only wants to support Cyprus in its candidacy for re-election to Category C of the IMO Council, as the Greek newspaper “Protothema” reports, among others. Instead, it also wants to support Turkey – albeit for the post of IMO Secretary General. Unlike Nicosia, Athens and Ankara are currently on an unexpected course of reconciliation. In recent months, Turkish threatening gestures have become more and more serious, there have been risky confrontations with ships in the Aegean and mock air battles with Greek and Turkish fighter jets. Disputes also prevailed over the rights of the sea. Serious concerns arose about an escalation and, as a result, a military conflict.
But the devastating earthquake in Turkey on February 6th brought an abrupt turnaround in relations between the two neighboring countries: When Greece was one of the first countries to send rescue workers and dozens of tons of aid to the crisis region – Turkey, on the other hand, rejected Cyprus’s offer of help -, also steered the Turkish media: Greece was suddenly no longer an enemy, but a “friend”. Since then, Turkish ministers have warmly welcomed their Greek counterparts and suddenly started talking about “very good relations”. So the signs are good, but it remains to be seen whether the current positive relations will continue after the parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey and the parliamentary elections in Greece. In both countries, the elections are due in May.
Although Cyprus shares both language and culture with Greece, attempts to improve relations between Ankara and Nicosia appear to be even more difficult to achieve. The Greek part now accepts the fact that the north of the island is inhabited by Turks after the Turkish invasion in 1974. Nevertheless, the so-called Cyprus conflict is still unresolved. While Turkey insists on a two-state solution, the UN is banking on the formation of a federation of two politically equal states. Nicosia is ready, but demands that there be a strong central government and that Turkish troops withdraw. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis, who was elected in February, said in an interview with “Euronews” at the end of March that the Cyprus problem had top priority. Christodoulidis expressed great concern that unless the problem is solved, a solution becomes “more remote” with each passing day. Because: “The status quo is getting worse every day.”
However, Ankara appears to be bothered by an increase in power for Cyprus; there was an angry reaction when the USA lifted the decades-long arms embargo on Cyprus last September. In addition, the Turks are likely to be a thorn in the flesh of Cyprus’ joint EastMed project with Greece and Israel, which is to supply gas to the European Union via a 1,900-kilometer-long pipeline in the Mediterranean Sea in the future. After all, Turkey plays a dominant role in the Mediterranean. It looks like that no solution will be found any time soon in the naval dispute either.
Quellen: Naftemporiki, Kathimerini, Euronews, Protothema, IMO
