Authorities search cargo ship suspected by the US of carrying Iranian arms to Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFcyprus ship iran arms hamas 248.88(photo credit: AP)
Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias on Friday said a cargo ship searched by local authorities because it is suspected by the United States of carrying Iranian arms to Hamas in the Gaza Strip had violated UN resolutions.
Officials refused to divulge any details about the ship or its cargo.
"We're handling this responsibly, I can't at this time make any remarks that ... may create more problems," Christofias said.
The Cypriot president went on to say that Cyprus was "investigating what it's carrying and I've told you that we must handle these things very responsibly and very seriously and without a lot of clamor in the media."
The Cypriot-flagged container ship Monchegorsk is anchored off the island's southern port of Limassol, where it arrived Thursday after a stop in Port Said, Egypt.
The US military stopped the vessel in the Red Sea last week, but allowed it to continue because the US could not legally stop its journey or seize its cargo.
Cyprus' Parliament Speaker Marios Garoyian described issues raised by ship as "very sensitive."
"Our aim is to resolve the matter in the best possible way without harming the interests of the Republic of Cyprus ... The less that is said the better."
