Ankara
Ankara condemned the Greek Cypriot regime for launching hydrocarbon activities in the eastern Mediterranean without seeking the consent of Turkish Cyprus and vowed to resolutely protect Turkiye and Turkish Cypriot rights.
In response to questions over the weekend, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Birgich explained Turkiye’s position on the ongoing hydrocarbon activities of the Greek-Cypriot regime in the eastern Mediterranean.
“It is out of the question for any country, company or vessel to conduct hydrocarbon exploration or development activities within the Turkish continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean without our consent,” Bilgici stressed.
These hydrocarbon activities of the Greek-Cypriot regime are unilaterally carried out without the consent of the Turkic-Cypriots and violate the rights of the Turkic-Cypriots, who are among the co-owners of all the island’s natural resources. A spokesperson said it does.
“These activities are also increasing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and threatening peace and stability,” he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s proposal to hold a comprehensive Eastern Mediterranean conference in 2020 to resolve long-standing differences between littoral states, and Turkish Cypriots to Greek Cypriots Recalling that the four proposals for cooperation on hydrocarbon resources are still under consideration, Mr. Birgic said, “It should be noted that this escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean will not benefit any party. I want to remind both the countries of the region and the third party behind which the Greek Cypriots are hiding.”
“Turkey will continue to resolutely protect both its own and the TRNC’s rights in the Eastern Mediterranean and will continue to support Turkey. [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] Future TRNC hydrocarbon activities,” he added.