Cyprus to raise the issue of illegal immigrants from Syria

Cyprus Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis has said that she gave instructions to Cyprus’ Ambassador in Damascus to raise before the Syrian authorities the issue of the transfer of illegal immigrants from Latakia to the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, on a ship conducting illegal routes between Syria and Cyprus’ occupied areas.
Marcoullis said it was obvious that these sea routes were used for the illegal transfer of illegal immigrants and noted that this issue will be raised before the Syrian Authorities, while the European Commission will be briefed on this development.
Marcoullis said that what matters is not the origin of this immigrants but the fact that they arrive to an illegal port of Cyprus, without the approval of the official Cypriot authorities.
Famagusta has been declared by the government of Cyprus a closed port following the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island. The UN has branded the illegal regime in occupied Cyprus “legally invalid” and called on all states not to recognise or facilitate it in any way.