Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay reacted to the statement of Greek Prime Minister Kiriakos Miçotakis regarding the drilling activities of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean defined by Miçotakis as a “fait accompli creation tactic”.
Özersay said that if the Greek Prime Minister is looking for a fait accompli, he should look at the right place and at the activities of the Greek Cypriot leadership.
The Greek Cypriot side giving licence within Turkey’s continental shelf areas and even before attempting to declare parcels which coincide with the Turkish continental shelf is a violation of international law.
In this regard by ignoring these illegal initiatives of the Greek Cypriot side and carrying out excavation activities within its continental shelf boundaries is very legitimate for Turkey.
Stating that the Greek Prime Minister attempts to distort the issue, Özersay asked why Greece does not show any reaction while the Greek Cypriot side attempts to usurp the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people by giving illegal licence to ENI and TOTAL in the region of the boundaries of Turkey’s continental shelf and Cyprus maritime jurisdiction.
Özersay also added that we as the TRNC support Turkey regarding excavation activities to be carried out within Turkey’s continental shelf in the region to the west of Cyprus.