"‘Opening of ports and airspace not a bargaining tool’
By John Leonidou
PRESIDENT Tassos Papadopoulos yesterday hit back at comments made by Turkish Cypriot ‘foreign minister’ Serdar Denktash, saying Turkey’s opening of its ports and airspace to Cypriot vessels and planes is an obligation towards the EU and not a bargaining tool.
He was responding to comments from Denktash, who initially said Turkey and the occupied north would open their ports and airspace as “a gesture of goodwill”, before demanding there be a simultaneous lifting of restrictions on Turkish Cypriots in exchange.
Papadopoulos said: “I will reiterate the position of the government. Turkey’s obligation to open its ports and airspace to Cypriot airliners and vessels is an obligation towards the EU. Turkey cannot demand exchanges for something that it is obliged to do."
More:‘Opening of ports and airspace not a bargaining tool’