Turkey has condemned Cyprus’ research for natural gas in the island’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), in a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
“These contacts clearly demonstrate yet again how the Greek Cypriot Administration disregards, in its unilateral pursuit of hydrocarbon-related activities, the inalienable rights on natural resources of the Turkish Cypriot people, the co-owners of the Island,” the statement reads, about meetings President Nicos Anastasiades had with natural gas companies in the US on March 22.
Ankara has also condemned the fact contracts were signed in the Republic of Cyprus for exploration of the EEZ, and that the Greek Cypriot side “is still not able to grasp the win-win-based potential for economic cooperation that can ensue on the Island and in the Eastern Mediterranean from a comprehensive settlement, towards which the Turkish Cypriot side and turkey have been expending intensive efforts.”
“We expect the Greek Cypriot side, which refuses to accept the Turkish Cypriots as politically equal partners on the Island, to refrain from acting as though it were the sole owner of the Island’s natural resources and to cease its hydrocarbon-related activities. It will be recalled in this context that in previous years, such activities have led to the failure of efforts aiming towards a comprehensive settlement,” the statement reads.
Ankara has warned that Turkey will take all the necessary measures to protect its interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as, the rights of the so called ‘TRNC’.
Turkey’s warning has arrived at a time, when negotiations on the Cyprus problem have been stalled, after the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci walked away from negotiations.
CYPRUS WILL CONTINUE ITS POLICY
In a statement issued in the afternoon the Foreign Ministry of the Republic has emphasised the following about Turkey’s statement:
– The statement once more demonstrates Turkey’s disregard for conventional and customary International Law, as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, and contempt for the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus over its continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
– International Law provides that a country’s natural wealth belongs to the state and the responsibility for managing it lies with its government for the benefit of all its citizens. Consequently, actions that put into question the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus not only contradict International Law, but are also completely groundless.
The statement added that it is “regrettable” that Turkey has once more resorted to “threats” in order to advance its own interests, “under the pretext of ‘concerns’ over the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.”
“The Republic of Cyprus will resolutely continue its policy in the field of hydrocarbons, in full respect of International and European Law. The President of the Republic Cyprus has taken a clear position affirming that Turkish Cypriots will benefit from the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the context of an agreed settlement of the Cyprus problem. In the bi-communal negotiations it was agreed that natural resources will fall within the competences of the federal government,” the statement reads.
The Republic has called on Turkey to contribute in “tangible terms” to the resumption of the negotiating process and the achievement of a “speedy reunification of Cyprus, through a just a viable solution to the Cyprus problem that will allow all Cypriots to enjoy their rights freely and peacefully.”
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