Cyprus not bound by Greece’s decision to support Turkey’s IMO candidacy

Cyprus said new efforts by Greece and Turkey to improve their relations is positive, but Greek Cypriots cannot support Ankara’s IMO bid.

Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis told state radio on Monday morning that Nicosia was not bound in any way by Greece’s decision to support the Turkish candidacy for the General Secretariat of the International Maritime Organization, a specialized UN agency responsible for regulating shipping.

Last week, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu agreed to support each other for Athens’ candidacy for the position of non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2025-26 and Ankara’s bid for the IMO.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, Letymbiotis was asked to comment on a report by Simerini newspaper that said Nicosia disagreed with Greek support for the Turkish bid.

“As far as Cyprus goes, we are not bound in any way by Greece’s decision and we certainly cannot support Turkey’s candidacy,” Letymbiotis said.

The spokesperson went on to point out that there were positive vibes between Athens and Ankara following the devastating earthquakes in Turkey, adding that Nicosia had been kept in the loop by Athens over the issue.

Responding to media headlines claiming there were “shadows” in the Greek-Cypriot relations, Letymbiotis told Simerini on Monday, that “relations between Athens and Nicosia remain excellent.”