TURKEY PROVOKES..... AGAIN !!!

Cyprus brushes off Turkish gas threats

Hydrocarbons exploration and exploitation will continue despite repeated Turkish threats, the Ministry Foreign Affairs has said.

The repsonse from Nicosia comes after Turkey warned Cyprus against extracting natural gas and oil reserves, saying the move disregards the rights of Turkish Cypriots, who have their own state in the north of the island.

"It is regrettable that the Republic of Turkey continues its provocative rhetoric against the Republic of Cyprus in light of the appraisal drilling activities undertaken by Noble Energy in Block 12 of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus," a statement issued Monday said.

It further rejects the legally unfounded positions expressed, for one more time, by the Republic of Turkey with regard to the exercise of the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus to explore and exploit its natural resources within its Exclusive Economic Zone/ continental shelf (EEZ/CS).

The press release continues reiterating that the hydrocarbons exploration and exploitation activities of the Republic of Cyprus are undertaken in accordance with the international Law and the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea.

It therefore wishes to reaffirm that, despite the Turkish threats, these activities will be continued and will be carried out as planned, it stresses.

At the same time, the ministry deems regrettable the fact that the Turkish Foreign Ministry is using the appraisal drilling activities of Noble Energy as a pretext in order to reiterate its position for a two-state solution in Cyprus.

The Republic of Cyprus, the ministry points out, strongly rejects this position and reaffirms that it will continue working with the United Nations towards the achievement of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, in line with the UN Security Council Resolutions on Cyprus.

The press release also strongly condemns the expressed intention of the Republic of Turkey to support seismic and drilling activities by the state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) in the southern part of the EEZ/ CS of the Republic of Cyprus.

It said that, such a development, if materialized, will be in flagrant violation of international Law and will increase tension in the area and it therefore urges Turkey to refrain from any such action. (FG/Agencies)



από : Greece Israel Cyprus