NICOSIA, Cyprus, July 15 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said, drilling for natural gas, off the shores of Cyprus will continue, if the Cypriot government did not accept a proposal to cooperate with Turkish Cypriots on gas management.
Cavusoglu said, Turkish drill ships, currently operating off the west and east coasts of Cyprus, will continue drilling until the Greek Cypriots, who represent the internationally recognised government of the eastern Mediterranean island, accept the proposal by Mustafa Akinci, the Turkish Cypriot leader.
He added that the proposal could contribute to stability and peace in the eastern Mediterranean island.
One Turkish drill ship, called Fatih, is drilling 60 kilometres off the west coast of Cyprus, in an area which Turkey says is within its continental shelf. Turkey claims more areas of the sea around Cyprus as being within its own continental shelf.
A second drill ship, the Yavuz, is anchored off the east coast of Cyprus, in an area which Turkey said it was licensed to its state petroleum company, TPAO, by the so-called Turkish Cypriot Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Cyprus says both areas are within its exclusive economic zone, under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The proposal made by Akinci was handed to Cypriot President, Nicos Anastasiades, by an official of the United Nations mission in Cyprus.
Anastasiades said, he called a meeting of political leaders to brief them on the contents of the proposal.
Turkish Cypriot media said on Sunday, that, the proposal calls for the setting up of a bi-communal committee, under the supervision of the United Nations, with the same number of members from each community, to manage hydrocarbon exploration.
Akinci said, he wished to discuss the details of his proposal with Anastasiades.
Cypriot government officials, said that, accepting the proposal would mean participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the competence of a government they do not recognise. It would also amount to the upgrading of the status of the breakaway state.
Cyprus said that, a similar proposal was presented by the Turkish Cypriots during the Cyprus peace negotiations in 2011, which was turned down at the time and it amounted to a backtracking on an existing agreement.
Cyprus was divided in 1974, after a Turkish military operation, in reaction to a coup by Greek army officers serving in Cyprus. Its northern part is controlled by Turkish troops and run by a so-called Turkish Cypriot administration.
A meeting of European foreign ministers today (Monday), is expected to endorse a proposal for sanctions on Turkey, for its drilling off Cyprus.– NNN-ANADOLU
