Turkish Cyprus sends letter to UN to reopen peace talks

LEFKOSA – Anadolu Agency

Turkish Cypriot President Derviş Eroğlu. DHA Photo

Turkish Cypriot President Derviş Eroğlu has sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for the re-launching of negotiations with the Greek Cypriot administration.
      
According to a statement issued by the president’s office on Oct. 18, Eroğlu called on the Greek Cypriot side to return to the negotiating table.
      
The letter comes after the Greek Cypriot administration suspended talks on Oct. 8, in retaliation to Turkey’s sending of a warship to monitor an oil and gas exploration mission off the Cyprus coast.
      
“Negotiations are the only way to reach a solution,” said Eroğlu, calling for a return to the negotiating table to reach a “fair, sustainable and negotiated solution.”
      
Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot government have expressed strong opposition to any unilateral move by the Greek Cypriot administration to explore hydrocarbon resources around the island, saying natural resources should be exploited in a fair manner under a united Cyprus.