The Turkish Cypriot breakaway regime reacts to gas exploration in Cyprus EEZTurkish Cypriot daily Volkan (05.08.11) reports that “the president and the prime minister of the TRNC reacted Thursday over Greek Cypriot party’s plans to launch natural gas exploration activities in the Mediterranean Sea.”

Speaking to reporters after the Republic of Cyprus announced that it would begin drilling for natural gas in the Mediterranean as of October 2011, Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu said that “such a move would cause headaches”.

Eroglu claimed that the underwater richness around the island of Cyprus do not belong to Greek Cypriots only, but to Turkish Cypriots and Turkey as well, and therefore, the Greek Cypriot side should not initiate exploration activities in the region.

Irsen Kucuk, so-called prime minister, also said that exploring the underground richness around Cyprus before achieving a settlement in the island would lead to several inconveniences.

Kucuk alleged that the Turkish Cypriots had certain rights stemming from the Treaties of 1960 concerning the waters surrounding Cyprus. He said that he believes the “Greek Cypriot administration” [as he referred to the Republic of Cyprus] will act with common sense and reconsider its decision to explore for natural gas.