Burcu: “Our rights cannot be left to the mercy of the Greek Cypriot Administration”

Presidential Spokesman Barış Burcu said: “One-sided decisions of the Greek Cypriot administration and the funds created by them excluding the Turkish Cypriot side does not give us a sense of guarantee because our rights cannot be left to the mercy of the Greek Cypriot Administration.”

Burcu made a statement regarding the Greek Cypriot Leader Anastasiades’ letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres.

In his statement Burcu recalled that as a result of the Greek Cypriot Administration’s persistence in carrying out hydrocarbon activities excluding the Turkish Cypriots, Akıncı made a proposal on the hydrocarbon issue to ease the tension in the region which was refused by the Greek Cypriot Leader.

Burcu further stated:

A comprehensive solution could not be achieved on the Cyprus Issue and a federal structure or a joint federal administration could not be achieved. Therefore, there is not a joint administration which manages the hydrocarbon and other natural resources.  Until a comprehensive solution is achieved, the Greek Cypriot Administration’s authorisation to act unilaterally in terms of the natural resources around the island, on which we also have rights, is totally unacceptable.

A further point that Anastasiades is mistaken about is his claim that the hydrocarbon fund approved by his assembly will also protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot Leader’s claim is not believable at all. The Turkish Cypriots should have a say in all the phases and processes of the hydrocarbon activities. If a fund is to be raised, it should be addressed and decided together like the other matters. President Akıncı’s proposal also included raising a joint fund. “The Greek Cypriot Administration’s unilateral decisions and funds do not give us an assurance because our rights cannot be left to the mercy of the Greek Cypriot Administration.”