Ankara welcomes Lebanon-Israel deal as model for Cypriots
ANKARA
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has welcomed the maritime demarcation deal between Israel and Lebanon and underlined it can constitute a good example for the Mediterranean region, particularly for the Turkish and Greek Cypriots.
“We welcome the maritime boundary delimitation agreement signed today [Oct. 27] between Lebanon and Israel, with the mediation of the United States, as a result of indirect talks. We hope that this agreement will contribute to peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean, already facing a number of challenges,” read a statement from the ministry late on Oct. 27.
Lebanon and Israel have signed the deal after years of negotiations, ending a dispute over the territorial waters and hydrocarbon reserves. The Turkish Foreign Ministry drew attention to the fact that the agreement also envisages a joint development model and revenue sharing through a third-party operator for certain hydrocarbon license areas within the two countries’ continental shelves.
“This model, which reflects similar practices in the world, sets a good example for the region and in particular for the Turkish and Greek Cypriots,” read the statement.
“In fact, last July, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus made a cooperation proposal to the Greek Cypriot side based on a joint development approach through determining equitable revenue sharing percentages, without prejudice to the existing rights of international oil companies, and offered to establish a joint committee for this purpose,” Ankara reminded.
Having proposed to convene an inclusive eastern Mediterranean Conference in 2020, Türkiye continues to support the off-shore hydrocarbon cooperation proposals put forward by Turkish Cyprus in 2011, 2012, 2019 and 2022, the ministry underlined.
The Greek Cypriot administration has no intention to share its revenues from hydrocarbon resources that normally belong to both communities on the island.
