The Republic of Cyprus has the sovereign right to exploit its natural resources within the international law and order, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou has stressed. Commenting on the Turkish Foreign Ministry announcement regarding Cyprus’ plans to exploit its natural gas resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone, Stephanou denounced the announcement, describing it as unacceptable.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that Cyprus’ plans to explore and exploit its hydrocarbon reserves is not in line with international law and does not contribute to efforts to solve the Cyprus problem. “The Republic of Cyprus has the sovereign right to exploit its natural resources and it does so always in accordance to the international law and order” the Spokesman underlines.

Noting that Turkey continues its policy of threatening Cyprus, the Spokesman stresses that “the Cyprus problem can not be solved with threats“. “The Cyprus problem can be solved by respecting and implementing the UNSC resolutions on Cyprus, resolutions which Turkey provocatively ignores and does not implement”, he underlines.

According to Stephanou, it is up to Turkey to solve the Cyprus problem, so that the illegal Turkish occupation of 37% of Cyprus’ territory ends and its people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are in the position to jointly exploit the island’s natural resources.

Drilling for natural gas off the southern coast of Cyprus will begin around October