Turkey’s reactions unacceptable, provocative and incompatible with International Law

Statement of Georgos Loucaides, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 27th March 2016, 2016

AKEL considers as unacceptable, provocative and incompatible with International Law Turkey’s reactions to the exercise of the inalienable sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); rights which cannot under any circumstances be linked to the continuation or not of the occupation, since this would allow Turkey to hold hostage both the Cyprus problem, as well as the exploitation of the natural gas.

On the other hand, the government should have foreseen the reactions and additional difficulties the decision for the Third Licensing Round for natural gas exploration would have provoked to the negotiations for a solution of the Cyprus problem, taking all the necessary precautionary measures.

All that has alarmingly followed and continue to take place in connection with the activities in the Cypriot EEZ continuously reaffirms the need for a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem, which will be based on principles. This is the surest way for the natural gas in practice to represent a blessing for the Cypriot people and not a source of political or military tension.

For that reason we stress that the Christofias-Talat convergences resolve in the best way possible the issue of natural gas in the event of a solution of the Cyprus problem.