Cyprus-Forum.com

[Eric dayi]

I started a thread not very long ago called "Partition on it's way", seems like I will have my wish after all. :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Commission legally endorses Famagusta-Latakia route

The European Commission has sent a letter to the Greek Cypriot government stating its endorsement for the Famagusta-Latakia route that was recently set off between northern Cyprus and Syria. In the letter the EU institution declared the route legal, saying that “there is no prohibition under general international law to enter and leave seaports in the northern part of Cyprus.”

After two previous voyages to Latakia on the occasions of Ramadan on September 22 and Bayram on October 14 respectively, the scheduled trips were set to start on Wednesday. However, they were cancelled along with the regular ferry trips to Tasucu Port of Turkey due to bad weather condition.

The Commission declared, in the controversial letter, that the institution is aware of the fact that the Greek Cypriot government “has declared the sea ports in the northern part of Cyprus (Famagusta, Kyrenia, Karavostassi) prohibited and closed for all vessels.” But the Commission also pointed out that “this was a unilateral decision with consequences under domestic [Greek] Cypriot law, but with no apparent consequences under international law.”

Direct trade cited
The letter also endorsed the so-called Direct Trade Regulation, and pointed out: “Neither the UN Security Council nor the European Community has ever imposed a trade embargo with respect to those areas.”
“Against this background, the Commission is not in a position to intervene with the authorities of the Syrian Arab Republic in this matter,” the letter concluded.

The ferry trips between Latakia and Famagusta have been harshly opposed by the Greek Cypriot government that also took the issue to the European Commission and received an unexpected reply through this letter.

Greek Cypriot press reported that the Honorary President of the Social Democratic Movement (EDEK), Vassos Lyssarides, will be flying to Damascus on October 20 as an envoy of Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, for talks regarding the issue. Greek Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs is also reportedly scheduled for a visit to Syria in order to convince Syria to cancel the service.

The Famagusta-Latakia ferry last plied the waters regularly between northern Cyprus and Syria in 1978-1979, before it set sail once again in September. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus passports are valid on the route.

http://www.observercyprus.com/observer/ ... px?id=2393

[Pyrpolizer]

What a DISTORTION!!!

There has been absolutely no WRITTEN statement by the Commission. It was just an alleged ORAL STATEMENT coming from an employee of the EU enlargement commissioner, to a reporter of Politis newspaper. That allegation was later twisted a bit and published in Cyprus mail, and now twisted even further and published in this newspaper called observer. The original article in Greek is here:

http://www.politis-news.com/cgibin/hweb ... %C9%C1@&-P

Politis does not even tell the name of the person who gave them such reply. It is obvious it's just "manufactured news" with lots and lots of jumping into arbitrary conclusions.

[Eric dayi]

Can't read that link you posted, but I did notice the date at the bottom 16/10/2007, that was 8 DAYS ago, what I posted is dated 19/10/2007, 3 days later. I suggest you keep up with the news.

How you can make a statement such as "There has been absolutely no WRITTEN statement by the Commission." is anyone's guess.

[Get Real!]

I started a thread not very long ago called "Partition on it's way", seems like I will have my wish after all.

Relying on TC press is the only way to get that and any other fantasy you may have Ricco so keep reading it...

[zan]

I started a thread not very long ago called "Partition on it's way", seems like I will have my wish after all.

Relying on TC press is the only way to get that and any other fantasy you may have Ricco so keep reading it...

OH! How I wish I could read Greek so I could get the truth

[Pyrpolizer]

@ eric

I can make this statement on various logical grounds.

a)Original article in Politis (a clearly manufactured story) published in 16/10/07 and re-manufactured 3 days later in Cyprus mail and after 5 days in Observer (who uses the term "has" been sent, clearly indicating an unknown time in the past)
b)It is not the job of the commission to offer legal advice.
c)The enlargement commissioner is totally out of any authority to even comment on such an issue... As for one of his personel...
d)if these news were true they would appear everywhere, not in a few newspapers who copy each other (at least Cyprus mail was honest enough to say it copied Politis)

[zan]

@ eric

I can make this statement on various logical grounds.

a)Original article in Politis (a clearly manufactured story) published in 16/10/07 and re-manufactured 3 days later in Cyprus mail and after 5 days in Observer (who uses the term "has" been sent, clearly indicating an unknown time in the past)
b)It is not the job of the commission to offer legal advice.
c)The enlargement commissioner is totally out of any authority to even comment on such an issue... As for one of his personel...
d)if these news were true they would appear everywhere, not in a few newspapers who copy each other (at least Cyprus mail was honest enough to say it copied Politis)

What if Syria wanted them to comment and clarify Pyro?

[Pyrpolizer]

What if we are on elections period and there is absolutely no limit as to how many astonishing manufactured news the GC opposition newspapers would make?

I wish you knew Greek to read the Original article. It says the Commission does not consider the operation of the ports in the occupied illegal, and that was the reason it asked for direct trade in the past.
Whereas the Commission itself asked for legal advice from the EU court, when the issue was raised, and received a reply telling her she was totally wrong.

[miltiades]

Can't read that link you posted, but I did notice the date at the bottom 16/10/2007, that was 8 DAYS ago, what I posted is dated 19/10/2007, 3 days later. I suggest you keep up with the news.

How you can make a statement such as "There has been absolutely no WRITTEN statement by the Commission." is anyone's guess.

Go onplonker , give us the link , tell us where you read this official report !!! I have searched high and low cant find it , help please !!!

[Expatkiwi]

A closure of ports by a government is only enforceable by that government as the ports involved lie within territorial waters, which means anyone who defies such a closure order is in violation of the laws of that government only. If ships defy a closure order, it means that only by a proper blockade could a legal enforcement be done, though the declaration of a blockade would be tantamount to recognition of North Cyprus as a blockade is legally defied as one nation attacking another. It was the blockade declaration in the American Civil War that got the Confederate States of America recognized by European nations as a belligerant power.