Nami:  “We will take the necessary steps in the Eastern Mediterranean on natural gas issue”

The Minister of Economy and Energy Özdil Nami said “We will protect the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriots on the natural gas issue as in the other issues and we will take the necessary steps”.

In his statement to the Anadolu Agency correspondent regarding the agenda, Nami said that the Greek Cypriot Administration continues natural gas exploration around the island unilaterally and, according to the agreement made with Turkey, Turkey’s exploration vessel ‘Fatih’ will start drilling off the coast of the island in the middle of February. Underlining that the Turkish Cypriot side made calls to the Greek Cypriot side many times to cooperate on the issue of energy, Nami said that the Greek Cypriot side has never given a positive response so far.

Expressing the desire of the Turkish Cypriot side for cooperation with the Greek Cypriot side on the energy issue, Nami said that it realises or not, that we as the Turkish Cypriot side will apply the strategic policies within the framework of the calendar agreed with Turkey.

Stressing that the whole world acknowledges that the Turkish Cypriot people also have rights on the natural gas explored around the island of Cyprus, Nami said that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ report and the statements of the USA also stressed that the natural resources to be found around the island belong to both communities.”