The Government of the Republic is resolved to protect its rights through all appropriate peaceful channels, Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Marcoullis has said, pointing out that the real motive behind Turkey’s policy towards Cyprus is the exploitation of Cyprus’ natural resources.

Marcullis, who was addressing a round table discussion organized Saturday by the Green Party of Cyprus entitled “Peace Protection and Utilisation of natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean”, referred to the commencement of drilling activities by Cyprus in the southern part of its Exclusive Economic Zone, noting that the sector of hydrocarbons is a new challenge for the Republic of Cyprus.

“The indications for the existence of hydrocarbons are very positive and promising,” she said.

The Minister made a special reference to the fact that the Republic of Cyprus is a state-party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, which primarily constitutes a codification of International Customary Law. The Republic, she added, has exercised its legitimate sovereign rights and delimited its Exclusive Economic Zone with the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Lebanon and the State of Israel in accordance with the relevant established principles the respective provisions of the above Convention.