Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-02-22

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Ankara's refusal to allow Cypriot ship condemned

[01] Ankara's refusal to allow Cypriot ship condemned

Foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said in a statement that "Turkey's course to Europe and the progress of its accession process are taking place on the basis and according to the degree of its response to specific terms and preconditions that are clearly mentioned in a series of EU texts."

A Cyprus-flag cargo ship, ''Able F'', coming from Italy had requested permission to enter the Turkish port of Mersin in southern Turkey to unload 16 containers, but the Turkish authorities declined to grant permission. The ship has anchored two miles off the coast.

Turkey's action taken on Wednesday "obviously does not help; on the contrary," Koumoutsakos added. "I underline that Turkey just as any other (EU) candidate country must fulfil its committments undertaken towards the European Union and all its member-states," he concluded.

The Turkish authorities' refusal to permit a ship flying the Republic of Cyprus flag to enter a Turkish harbour constitutes a violation of the Customs Union between Turkey and the European Union, Cypriot Government spokesman George Lillikas said in Nicosia Wednesday, according to a CNA dispatch.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Namik Tan confirmed that the Turkish authorities declined to grant the Cypriot-flagged ship to enter the Turkish harbour, asserting that the ship's intention is ''to create a fait accomplis against the international regulations.''

Turkey, an EU candidate country, refuses to implement a Protocol adapting the Ankara Agreement (Customs Union) with the ten new EU member states, which among others provides for the opening of Turkish ports and airports to Cypriot ships and airplanes.

''With its attitude, Turkey once again shows that it refuses to harmonise with the acquis communautaire and does not convince of its commitment to proceed its course respecting its EU obligations,'' the Cypriot spokesman notes in a written statement, adding that the Cypriot government is taking all necessary actions both towards Austria, holder of the EU Presidency, and the European Commission.

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