Turkey rejects unilateral opening of ports to Greek Cypriot vessels

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday (November 22nd) that Turkey will not open its ports to Cypriot vessels and goods unless the EU lifts its trade embargo on northern Cyprus. “If there’s a simultaneous opening of ports and airports, then we’ll be a part of it,” Erdogan told reporters in Ankara. “No one should expect anything different,” he added. At the same time, Erdogan denied recent media reports that Turkey has agreed to allow Greece to expand its territorial waters in the Aegean Sea. “There is nothing like an agreement that has been reached on the 12 miles [issue]. The talks are still under way with Greece,” Erdogan stated. The Greek newspaper To Vima reported last week that Athens and Ankara have agreed to let Greece expand its territorial waters in the Aegean from six to 12 nautical miles.