Government strongly condemns Turkey's new attempt for illegal drilling

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus strongly condemns Turkey’s new attempt to illegally conduct drilling operations in the east of Cyprus, close to the Karpasia peninsula, within the Territorial Sea of the Republic.

A press release by the Presidency  says that this second planned drilling, within two months from the commencement of the ongoing illegal drilling operations in the western part of Cyprus’ EEZ, constitutes an escalation of Turkey’s continued violations of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as customary International Law and constitutes a serious violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.
 
"Turkey continues to blatantly violate International law, both conventional as well as customary, flagrantly disregarding the European Union’s and the international community’s calls to cease its illegal activities and respect the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus to explore and exploit its natural resources within its maritime zones.  Instead of engaging in dialogue, as the international community calls her to do, Turkey deliberately avoids doing so, in order to create new fait accomplis" it stresses.
 
It is indeed paradoxical, the press release says, that, while Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the United Nations and the European Union, that has concluded international agreements with its neighbours, Ankara attempts to invoke international law claiming at the same time to act upon the “licensing” of an illegal occupying regime.

It is underlined, herewith, that drilling operations that are purportedly conducted on behalf of “TRNC” are illegal and null and void, as  it is also the case for the secessionist entity in the occupied part of Cyprus, according to the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council [541 (1983) και 550 (1984].

Turkey is called upon to realize that the only way to address the problems that Ankara itself  creates, is to proceed immediately to an intensive and decisive dialogue that will lead us to a solution on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions and the principles on which the EU is founded. "A solution which, among other things, will give answers to  any problems we face today because of the unacceptable Turkish occupation, "  the presidency's press release notes.

It is underlined that the Republic of Cyprus will continue to defend its legitimate rights for the benefit of all its legitimate citizens, intensifying its efforts on the legal, political and diplomatic level, using all means at its disposal, especially in the framework of the European Union.

"To this effect, we recall the decisions of the Council of the European Union, and in particular the Conclusions of the European Council of 20th  June 2019, condemning Turkey’s illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and underlining the direct and serious impact that these actions have on the whole spectrum of the EU-Turkey relations, and to which the Union will respond with appropriate measures" it concludes.

In May Turkey issued a navigational telex, announcing its intention to start drilling off Cyprus until September 3. Since May 4, the Turkish drill ship “Fatih” is in an area that falls within the EEZ and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus.

A second Turkish drill ship, “Yavuz”, is dispatched to the Eastern Mediterranean for drilling.