Turkish Foreign Ministry slams Greek Cypriot drilling works

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has condemned the Greek Cypriot administration’s new drilling works, saying the exploration operations are ignoring the fundamental rights of Turkish Cypriots on natural resources and warning that Turkey “won’t let the Cypriot issue continue in this way.”

“The Greeks’ insistence on unilateral disposal of natural resources in the south of the island shows that they don’t have the will to re-establish a partnership with Turkish Cypriots,” the ministry said in a written statement released on June 14.

According to statement, the Greek Cypriot administration “pretending to be the only owner of the island and [its] irresponsible, provocative and single-sided steps” are continuing.

“We can not permit the Cypriot issue, which has been ongoing for 50 years, to continue in this way anymore,” the statement said.

Turkey has been expressing its harsh opposition to Greek Cyprus’ independent energy exploration operations, but the ministry’s reaction came in response to second drilling works kicked-off by the southern administration.

“The second drilling has been started within the scope of confirming the direct hydrocarbon resources in the so-called exclusive economic zone of the Greek Cypriot administration, in the area which will be called the 12th parcel,” the statement said.

The release “strongly supports” another statement published by the Foreign Ministry of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on June 13, it said.

As the solution, Turkey, kept its offer and stance unchanged since its March 23 release, which mentioned the possibility of starting a two-state solution negotiation.