Brussels, 11/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - In an address to the European Parliament on Tuesday 10 July, Foreign Cypriot Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis justified Cyprus's allowing a Russian ship to leave for Syria with “a dangerous cargo on board” on 10 January last. According to the minister, the Chariot cargo ship, which was flying the flag of Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines, had left St Petersburg in Russia for Iskenderun in Turkey. Due to bad weather, the ship had had to refuel in the Cypriot port of Limassol. Kozakou-Marcoullis said that, “when we verified the documents, the destination was Iskenderun”. She emphasised that the Russian company, owner and route managing firm in Cyprus had confirmed the destination. The minister explained that this was why they had allowed it to depart but it had gone to Tartus in Syria. The minister explained that the Cypriot government had opened legal proceedings against the Russian company and the route managing firm in Cyprus. (CG/transl.fl)