Turkey's stance does not create conditions for resumption of Cyprus talks - Nicos Anastasiades

Greek Cypriot president, Nicos Anastasiades has said Turkey's stance does not create the necessary conditions for the resumption of Cyprus talks as Turkey’s most recent actions the Cyprus maritime zones amount to escalated provocations and to flagrant violation of our sovereign rights to explore and exploit our natural resources.

Anastasiades made the remarks while receiving the credentials of the Ambassador of Peru to the Republic of Cyprus, Luis Iberico Nunez, on Tuesday.

According to him, the Greek Cypriot side remains strongly committed to negotiate a solution within the parameters that the Secretary-General set for a viable and comprehensive settlement, fully in line with international and EU law, that reunites Cyprus in a modern, truly independent and sovereign state, free of any third country dependencies that will offer the prospect of prosperity and peaceful co-existence for all its citizens.

He expressed his hope that Turkey refrains from actions that take us further apart from the goal of continuing the negotiations, and that both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side “clarify their intentions and revisit their intransigent positions, particularly in the areas of security and guarantees and as regards demands that are not in line with Cyprus’s capacity as a member state of the EU, so as to create sound prospects of achieving an overall agreement”.

Turkey’s pretext that it is acting to protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots is completely unfounded, since we have repeatedly and publicly stated that the natural resources of the Republic of Cyprus belong to all Cypriots, Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike, in line with the convergence reached with the Turkish Cypriot side that decisions with regards to the maritime areas will be a federal competence in reunited Cyprus, he said.

He further stated that Cyprus’ goal is to fully explore and exploit the hydrocarbon potential in its Exclusive Economic Zone, in the best terms possible, so as to maximize the benefits for all Cypriot citizens, in accordance with the submitted bill to the House of Representatives for the creation of a sovereign fund for the management of any future hydrocarbon resources, safeguarding the interests of current and future generations of all Cypriots.

To this end, what I have made clear to the UN Secretary-General and the international community, is that if Turkey’s illegal actions cease along with the unacceptable positions and demands put forward by the Turkish Cypriot side, I am ready to immediately engage in a new dialogue as regards the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem, and also to take part in a new Conference on Cyprus, provided that the necessary preparation has taken place and that the five permanent members of the Security Council and the EU will assume an active role, he said.

Last month, Turkish warships twice blocked a vessel bound for drilling activities in Cyprus’ EEZ block 3 on behalf of Italian energy company ENI.

Source: CNA