Decisive developments regarding the Cyprus problem should be expected in the next few months, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has said.

Addressing Sunday the annual anti-occupation event organized by Morphou Municipality and organizations, the President said that Cyprus is facing crucial developments the first being the upcoming meeting the leaders of the two communities will hold with UN Secretary General in New York in October.

Cyprus and the Cypriot people are at a crucial crossroads, President Demetris Christofias said adding that the next few months will possibly determined their future in the years to follow.

Turkey, he said, threatens and provokes having as a purpose to stop our efforts to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves, noting that possible findings and exploitation of hydrocarbons will create significant economic and political prospective for the country.

“We must face challenges in economy. To face the unprecedented world economic crisis and its effects on Cyprus and to face structural problems piled up for decades“, he added.

President Christofias also said that in order to face all these, unity and political stability is needed.

“Unity and political stability involves all of us, the President, the political parties and the society at large. A possible undermining of the political stability and unity will have significant negative affects on Cyprus, on our people and on each citizen separately” he said, reassuring that on his part he will do all he can to secure political stability, the constitutional order and unity“.

Referring to the Cyprus issue, President Christofias said that the fact we have not yet reached the longed solution is due to the extreme demands of the Turkish Cypriot side.

He said that recently, the Turkish Cypriot side abrogates agreement reached in substantial aspects of the problem and called on the United Nation and the international community to bring Turkey and the Turkish side into order.

President Christofias said that there could be no solution to the Cyprus problem without the return of occupied areas of Morphou and Famagusta under Greek Cypriot administration.

Regarding the exploitation of any possible natural gas and oil reserves in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone, he said that the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, as provided by the international law and the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea in particular, are non-negotiable.

“The exploration will continue despite the provocations and the tension caused by Turkey. We cannot accept that there is connection between the negotiations and the exploration for energy resources“, he clarified.

Possible finding and exploitation of hydrocarbons will be a strong motive for the solution of the Cyprus problem, he said, adding that at the same time such a development will create excellent prospects for the economy of our country and its people.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded the island occupying 37% of its territory. UN led talks have been ongoing since 2008 between the leaders of the two communities with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.

Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus. Following a decision by Nicosia to begin natural gas and oil exploration in its exclusive economic zone, Ankara has deployed warships in the Eastern Mediterranean and has signed an illegal agreement with the Turkish Cypriot puppet regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf.

Houston-based ‘Noble Energy’, whose drilling rig is already in place, off the island’s southern coast, has begun drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ. The company has a concession to explore for hydrocarbons in an offshore field, south of Cyprus, known as Block 12.

The government of Cyprus has protested to the UN and the EU Turkey’s 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.