Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday launched new threats against Cyprus over the drilling for gas and oil in the island’s exclusive economic zone.
The Turkish official — who is in the northern part of the island for talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci — accused the Republic of Cyprus and Greece of the fact that while unification negotiations were being held in Crans-Montana, the Greek Cypriots made a “unilateral move” by drilling in the area, thus showing “their true intentions.”
Cavusoglu said that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side will react in their own way to the drilling of the Republic of Cyprus.
“Greek Cypriots’ unilateral measures here are not right because Turkish Cypriots also have rights on the reserves around the island of Cyprus,” Cavusoglu said
“Against this unilateral step, Turkey and the TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) will work together… The talks at Crans-Montana were blocked because of them (Cyprus and Greece) and the (United Nations) Secretary-General decided to not continue this way,” Cavusoglu said.
“In 2004, they rejected the (UN) Annan Plan in a referendum, their elder brothers rewarded them and immediately took them into the EU. They spoiled them, of course. Whatever they do, they find support. It is a tiny (EU) member and it is not only blocking Turkey’s EU membership but they also block many other processes. I mean, it is actually the EU that is encouraging this,” Cavusoglu stated.
Prior to his trip to the occupied part of Cyprus, Cavusoglu had said: “From now on, other processes will take place in Cyprus because the negotiations cannot last endlessly. From the first day, when we [the ruling Justice and Development Party] came to power, we have always been one step ahead in the settlement of the Cyprus issue, we took all the political risks. But if the other party does not want to find a solution, then we should look for other options.”
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