The Greek Cypriot Administration continues to cause irreparable damage to the negotiation process with its unilateral initiatives which has already been destroyed as a result of the Enosis decision. The most recent example of this is the Greek Cypriot Administration’s illegal hydrocarbon exploration activities carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean, in complete disregard of the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people. The Greek Cypriot Administration has finalised its negotiations with foreign companies that submitted bids for hydrocarbon exploration in three blocks allegedly situated in its so-called Exclusive Economic Zone. The contracts with the related companies will be signed today and tomorrow, which in turn indicates the Greek Cypriot Administration’s insistence on refusing the equal rights of the Turkish Cypriots as the co-owners of the island.
The aforementioned initiative is devoid of good will and contradicts with the equal and legitimate rights of the Turkish Cypriot people on the maritime zone and natural resources of the island as well as the decision making of matters related to the exploration, extraction and processing of the hydrocarbon resources. Such initiatives of the Greek Cypriot side that disregard the Turkish Cypriot side are not acceptable.
The Turkish Cypriot side maintains that until a comprehensive settlement is reached, all kinds of activities regarding the natural resources located around the island must either be suspended or carried out through reconciliation and mutual cooperation.
The attitude of the Greek Cypriot side intends to violate our rights, threatening the stability of the region and cannot be accepted. It is beyond doubt that we will take all the necessary steps to protect our rights and interests in cooperation with Turkey, as the Guarantor country.
It is once again proven that the Greek Cypriot side’s approach that reject the Turkish Cypriot side as the co-owner of the island remains as the most important impediment to reaching a durable and comprehensive settlement on the island.