Turkey must cooperate for a Cyprus solution in order to materialize its policy priorities concerning the EU and the region, President Demetris Christofias said today.
While addressing the book presentation of the Head of the Presidencys office of research on Turkish policy, Nikos Moudouros on The transition of Turkey, from Kemalist dominance to Islamic neoliberalism, the President spoke on the role of the Turkish leadership in sidelining the former leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community Rauf Denktash, while promoting the acceptance of the Annan Plan in 2004.
He characterized the developments of the time as a turning point in Turkeys shift concerning its Cyprus position, in favor of a solution with an ill-defined content and the parallel promotion of the illegal state entity Ankara set up in the occupied areas of Cyprus, following the islands 1974 invasion.
The President went on by saying that Turkey is violating all relevant UN resolutions concerning Cyprus, while he noted that Ankara aims at provoking tension in the region, on the occasion of the Republics activities in its exclusive economic zone.
This behavior is detrimental to Turkeys EU aspirations, President Christofias said, while he noted that the burden of its illegal activities in Cyprus hinders Ankara from assuming a role in political brokerage in the region.
Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.
Recently, Nicosia announced in the Official Journal of the EU a call for an international tender for off-shore hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation within the Republics Economic Exclusive Zone, signaling the initiation of a second round of licensing, after 2007.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Nicosias new licensing round for exploration activity in the area could lead to tension in the region.
In response to Cypriot exploration activities, Ankara has in the past deployed warships in the Eastern Mediterranean and has signed an illegal agreement with the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf.
The government of Cyprus has protested to the UN and the EU Turkeys moves, saying it has a sovereign right to exploit its natural resources, pointing out that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will benefit from any benefits that may come from oil drilling.
Cyprus has signed an agreement to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Israel with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its EEZ. A similar agreement has been signed with Lebanon but the Lebanese Parliament has not yet ratified it.
Copyright © Famagusta Gazette 2012
via President: Turkeys aspirations conditional on a Cyprus solution.