A senior official from Turkey’s foreign ministry has denied considering a proposal reportedly made by the Cypriot government to open Turkish ports to Cypriot-flagged vessels in exchange for easier European visa access for Turkish businesspeople, dismissing the idea as “purely imaginary.”
The proposal, first reported by the Greek Ta Nea daily over the weekend, was confirmed Monday by Cyprus government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, who said the initiative was in line with President Nikos Christodoulides’ efforts to enhance the European Union’s role in resolving the long-running Cyprus conflict and improving EU-Turkey relations, according to the Greek City Times news website.
“Opening Turkish ports to Cypriot ships is an obligation for Turkey,” Letymbiotis said, calling it a step toward aligning Turkey with EU law and fulfilling its obligations to the Republic of Cyprus.
However, Turkey, which does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus and maintains diplomatic relations only with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), a breakaway state recognized solely by Ankara, quickly denied the claim.
“Reports in the Greek Cypriot press that our ports would be opened to Greek Cypriot ships in exchange for EU visa facilitation for our businesspeople are purely imaginary,” said Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli on X on Monday.
Rum Basınında Yer Alan İddialar Hakkında:
Rum basınında yer alan, iş insanlarımıza AB vizesi kolaylığı sağlanması karşılığında ülkemiz limanlarının Rum gemilerine açılacağına dair iddialar hayal ürünüdür.
— Öncü Keçeli | Dışişleri Bakanlığı Sözcüsü (@SpoxTR_MFA) April 28, 2025
Turkey has enforced a port embargo on ships flying the Republic of Cyprus flag since 1987, later expanding restrictions in 1997 to include vessels managed or owned by Cypriot companies. The embargo excludes cruise ships. In contrast, Cyprus allows Turkish-flagged ships to dock, except those arriving from ports in the KKTC.
Ankara argues that the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member since 2004, does not represent the entire island and therefore cannot demand obligations from Turkey under the framework of EU accession criteria.
Despite the tension, Cyprus continues to advocate for stronger EU-Turkey ties while pressing for what it calls Turkey’s compliance with international maritime law. The latest diplomatic clash reveals the persistent obstacles to reconciliation and regional cooperation more than four decades after the island’s division.
The island has been divided since 1974, when Turkey intervened following a Greece-backed coup. The KKTC was established in 1983.
Data from the Cyprus Ports Authority shows dwindling maritime traffic between the two sides. Only 43 ships from Turkish ports docked in Cyprus during the first eight months of 2023, down from 140 in 2022.