Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the unilateral activities of the Greek Cypriot side in the Eastern Mediterranean

Our Ministry is closely following the unilateral activities conducted by the Greek Cypriot administration at the expense of escalating the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean. Most recently, the Greek Cypriot side has issued a Navigational Warning to conduct drilling preparations in 12^th parcel of its unilaterally declared so called exclusive economic zone. The mentioned area overlaps with the area where Council of Ministers granted licence on behalf of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the Turkish Petroleum Corporation to conduct oil and natural gas exploration and exploitation activities.

The Greek Cypriot side is insistently continuing its unilateral activities in the Eastern Mediterranean despite our all warnings and does not refrain from escalating the tension in the region.

Turkish Cypriot people are the co-owners of the Island of Cyprus and thus have equal rights over the natural resources on and around the island. As the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus we continuously stressed that we prefer a solution via dialogue and cooperation and conveyed comprehensive proposals to the Greek Cypriot side respectively in 2011, 2012, 2019 and lastly in 1 July 2022 regarding the hydrocarbons in the region. However, the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus opted to further its activities at the expense of usurping the inalienable rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, in order to continue benefiting from the status quo on the island.

It is high time that the intransigent and hegemonic stance of the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus should be acknowledged by the international community.  In addition to the comprehensive cooperation proposal of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on hydrocarbon resources, the proposal of the Guarantor country Motherland Türkiye to organize a comprehensive conference on hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean, with the participation of all relevant parties, is still on the table. Availing this opportunity, we once again reiterate our call for diplomacy and reconciliation.

However, it should be borne in mind that, so long as the Greek Cypriot side continues its unilateral and persistent activities, we will continue to protect our legitimate rights and interests and take all necessary steps with Republic of Türkiye.