Put pressure on Turkey to end its illegal acts
Statement of Neoklis Sylikiotis, AKEL MEP and
Vice-President of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left
7th January 2015
The need to immediately put an end to Turkey’s violations of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was again raised today before the European Commission by AKEL and Vice-President of the European United Left Neoklis Sylikiotis.
Referring to the new maritime order (NAVTEX) issued by Turkey, AKEL MEP Neoklis Sylikiotis called on the European Commission to give an answer as to why so far it is inactive, given that it is ignoring both the decision taken by the European Council and the recent resolution approved by the European Parliament, which called upon Ankara to withdraw its illegal directive and the Turkish vessel “Barbaros” and its support force from the Cypriot EEZ.
The AKEL MEP explained that the new NAVTEX issued by Turkey designates areas in the eastern Mediterranean south of Cyprus, near the area of plots 4.5, 6, but also and plots 10 and 11 in which the Total Company is working. Neoklis Sylikiotis stressed that the Turkish “Barbaros” vessel will remain in the Cypriot EEZ to continue illegal investigations until 6th April and pointed out that as the BRT (Note: television and radio station in the occupied areas) website states, the vessel will continue its work depending on the instructions of Turkey’s state-run oil firm (TPAOH).
The AKEL MEP raised Turkey’s provocative and illegal actions before the European Commission which, as he underlined, violate the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and undermine the efforts to resume the negotiation procedure for a solution of the Cyprus problem.
Neoklis Sylikiotis asked the Commission to reply as to what actions the EU will take to exert pressure on Turkey to implement its contractual obligations as a candidate country and respect the sovereign rights of all EU Member-States. The AKEL MEP also asked what steps the EU will take so that Turkey withdraws its NAVTEX and ends any provocative and illegal action.
