Cyprus unhappy over controversial Syria ferry link to north

Cyprus on Friday voiced its disappointment over the start of a ferry service between Syria and the Turkish occupied part of the divided island despite its protests to Damascus against such a move.

"We express our regret that a route has begun at a time when we find ourselves in a dialogue with the Syrian government," government spokesman Vasilis Palmas told reporters.

"This certainly doesn't help create a desirable climate we are striving for in this dialogue," he added.

Cyprus has tried to soften the tone of its language towards Syria in the hope it will not further rock a shaky relationship.

A first planned regular sailing from Latakia to Famagusta began on Thursday, as Nicosia was still seeking an official explanation from Syria over the issue.

There had been contacts at foreign minister level but Syria has yet to give a clear response as to whether it recognises the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), currently recognised only by Ankara.

Cyprus will send an envoy to Syria on October 20 in a move to try and patch up differences after relations between the two traditionally friendly neighbours have soured.

Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis is also expected to visit Damascus before the end of the year.

"The link by ferry between the two port cities of Famagusta and Latakia is now assured every Monday and Thursday," a Syrian official said Thursday.

"This is aimed at promoting tourism between the two countries."

After a promotional trip by a ferry from Famagusta last month, Cyprus called on Syria to explain whether it had struck a deal with the Turkish Cypriots to run a service to and from the breakaway Turkish-held north of the island.

It summoned charge d'affaires Nader Nader to the foreign ministry and said the move could be viewed as an "unfriendly act."

Turkish Cypriot officials said 50 passengers -- paying up to a 100 dollars each -- boarded the ferry back to Latakia when it arrived at Famagusta.

There has been speculation in the local press that Syria did a deal with the TRNC after receiving assurances from Turkey that it would not let Israeli jets fly over Turkish territory to attack Syria.

The Cypriot government says opening such a ferry operation is illegal as the harbour of Famagusta in the north is a declared "closed access point" to and from the republic. It says this is backed by UN resolutions.

A similar link started in 1978 -- four years after the Turkish invasion and seizure of the north of the Mediterranean island -- but lasted only about a year.