Stating that the Turkish Cypriot side would never take steps to warm up the waters in the Eastern Mediterranean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay said that our intention is “not to warm up the water but rather to cool down the water”.
Indicating that they are taking into account other developments in the region with the Republic of Turkey, Özersay took part in a televised program on CNN Türk.
Özersay said that as long as the Greek Cypriot side continues to take unilateral steps in the Eastern Mediterranean region on the natural gas issue, the Turkish Cypriot side would take steps that would balance this.
Explaining that it seemed highly likely that the Greek Cypriot side will try and carry out drilling in block 10 before the end of this year, Özersay said that if drilling efforts are conducted then the Turkish Cypriot side, in line with its agreement with the Turkish Petroleum Corporation, will start drilling in similar areas.
Özersay said: “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will carry out this excavation through a company. What we do is not much different to what they do. What we will do is to be active in the field and protect our rights”.
Also touching upon the Cyprus issue, Özersay evaluated the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ Cyprus Report.
Özersay said that although there are six chapters of the talks, the Greek Cypriot side is trying to create a perception that the talks failed because of security and guarantees issues.
Touching upon the content of the thesis, which the Greek Cypriots presented as a loose federation, Özersay said that what the Greek Cypriot side is actually trying to say is that they are not ready to share power with us within the framework of political equality, and it bothers them as Greek Cypriots. ‘So let’s share less power. Let there be more power in the wings, and less power in the Central Federal Government. This can be described as a loose federation’ the Greek Cypriots say.