President: No issue for Cyprus’ IMO membership if Turkey elected

President Nikos Christodoulides said that Cyprus’ membership with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will not be impacted in any way if Turkey is elected as its Secretary-General later this year.

He was asked by the press to comment on the fact that Greece has supported Turkey’s candidacy for the IMO General Secretariat, and whether he had been warned about this support and if, in the event that Turkey is elected, this will impact on Cyprus’ membership with the organisation – what with Ankara not recognising the Republic.

Clarifying that the IMO Secretary-General exercises their duties based on the Organisation's Convention, Christodoulides added that Cyprus cannot support the Turkish candidacy simply because Turkey does not allow ships under the Cyprus flag to dock in its ports.

He added that the Republic of Cyprus is an IMO member and is elected at a high ranking post by the Organisation's plenary and there will be no issue if Turkey is elected Secretary-General.

As the President noted, Greece and Turkey have agreed that Greece will support Turkey’s IMO candidacy and Turkey will in turn support Greece’s bid for a seat at the United Nations Security Council as an elected member for the 2025-2026 term.

"I understand that this was agreed when the Greek Foreign Minister Dendias travelled to Turkey after the earthquakes," President Christodoulides added and underlined that "we will make the most" of a possible strengthening of the two countries' relations.

This was echoed in previous statements by Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, that even though Cyprus is not bound by Greece’s decision to support Turkey’s IMO candidacy, and certainly cannot support it, the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations is seen as a positive development. He also noted that Nicosia had been informed of Athens’ support for Turkey’s candidacy for the IMO and also of Turkey’s support for Greece’s campaign for the position of a non-permanent member of the Council Security.

Turkey has nominated Suat Hayri Aka, who is its representative at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and a former under-secretary for maritime affairs in Turkey’s ministry of transport.

Although Turkey and Greece are historic rivals in the east Mediterranean regions — and remain in dispute over Cyprus — there has been a rapprochement after the recent devastating earthquake in southern Turkey and Syria, which is estimated to have killed over 50,000 people.