Turkish Cypriots have same rights as Greek Cypriots over resources in east Med, Turkish Cypriot PM says

ISTANBUL

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar has said that Turkish Cypriots have repeatedly reached out to explore energy resources together with Greek Cypriots, but that the Greek Cypriot side has never accepted these proposals.

In an interview on private broadcaster TGRT Haber on Dec. 25, Tatar said that Turkish Cypriot people had the same rights as Greek Cypriots over the resources in the eastern Mediterranean.

Tatar said that many international agreements were in force and displayed that Cyprus has two owners, but that the Greek Cypriots did not want to accept it and did not accept a partnership with Turkish Cypriots.

Pointing to the importance of the memorandum of understanding signed between Turkey and Libya, Tatar noted that Turkey had foiled the plans of Western countries by signing this agreement.

Highlighting the importance of relations between Turkey and the Turkish Cyprus, Tatar said that relations between the two countries will develop further and that the Turkish Cypriot people will benefit economically from the development of these relations.

Tatar thanked Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the government and the Turkish Armed Forces on behalf of the works and agreements made for the future and dignity of the Cypriot people.

In 1974, following a coup aiming at Cyprus’ annexation by Greece, Ankara had to intervene as a guarantor power.

In 1983, Turkish Cyprus was founded.

The decades since then have seen several attempts to resolve the dispute, all ending in failure. The latest one, held with the participation of the guarantor countries Turkey, Greece, and the U.K., ended in 2017 in Switzerland.

In the second round of the presidential elections in Turkish Cyprus in April 2020, Tatar might challenge incumbent Mustafa Akıncı.