We will not allow South Cyprus to breach Turkey’s continental shelf: Deputy FM

ISTANBUL

Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru during a gave an interview on the social media website Twitter to the International Relations Council of Turkey (UIK) on Feb. 22. AA photo

Ankara won’t allow South Cyprus to breach Turkey’s continental shelf for exploration of oil and gas in the Eastern Mediterranean, said Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru during a Twitter interview with the International Relations Council of Turkey (UIK) on Feb. 22. “Our country and Northern Cyprus have objected to exploration activities [conducted] by South Cyprus. The unilateral stand of South Cyprus means the extortion of Turkish Cypriots’ rights,” he said, noting that Turkey had previously stated that international firms who cooperate with the Greek Cypriot government won’t be allowed to join new projects in Turkey.

By conducting the interview using the social media website Twitter, the UIK also gave Koru the occasion to comment on several aspects of the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s global policies.

Koru argued that the seat Turkey held at the UN Security Council from 2009 to 2011 enlarged the horizon of Turkish diplomacy. “Our membership at the UN Security Council has brought our connections through the world further and strengthened our ‘global playmaker’ status,” he said.

Koru also emphasized that the “zero problems with neighbors” policy put forward by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has contributed to the advancement of political dialogue as well as economical and cultural ties with neighbors, stressing that visas have been lifted in many countries as part as this policy. “This policy is based on the fact that [we should] focus not on our differences but on areas of cooperation [with neighboring countries],” he said.