Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu: “We are taking necessary steps for solution of Cyprus problem”
28 December, 2018Çavuşoğlu: “We are doing what we need to protect our interests on the hydrocarbon issue”
3 January, 2019Pointing out that nations have permanent sovereignty rights on the natural resources not the States, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay said that the states have those rights only in the ratios of the people they represent. Özersay also mentioned that the use or sale of resources should be conditional on the reconciliation with the Turkish Cypriots.
A panel discussion entitled “Energy Policies in the Eastern Mediterranean” was held at the Cyprus International University in Lefkoşa yesterday (27th December).
Speaking at the panel, Özersay reiterated that the so called Republic of Cyprus does not have a normal state status and emphasized that everyone knows that it does not represent the two peoples on the island and therefore it is not possible for it to stake a claim on all the resources.
Özersay recorded that emphasis by the USA, EU and the UN in their every statement that the resources belong to both communities is very important. Adding that both the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey defended the thesis in the past that after a solution there can be compensation, reinstitution and exchange of immovable properties, Özersay said that after the establishment of the Immovable Property Commission, however, it became possible to pay compensation to the Greek Cypriots before a solution. Thus there has been an unjust situation in settling the immovable property issue said Özersay and added that while the Greek Cypriots are able to take compensation or reinstitution related to their immovable properties in the North, the Turkish Cypriots will only be able to take compensation or reinstitution of the properties they left in the South after a solution.
Indicating that those who want stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region should force the Greek Cypriot side for a settlement Özersay said: “If we look at everything that has been lived through, and at the 50 year long negotiation process, the settlement should be before a solution and the Greek Cypriot side should be forced towards this direction.”