The Republic of Cyprus will continue to act with respect to international law and take measures to address any potential threat from Turkey after the announcement verifying the existence of hydrocarbons in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, the Minister of Defence Demetris Eliades said here on Thursday.

Eliades speaking after a meeting of the Standing Ministerial Crisis Management Group on Search and Rescue, held at the Rescue Coordination Centre in Larnaka, which the Ministers of Defence, Interior, Justice and Public Order, Foreign Affairs and Communications and Works attended, said that they discussed issues of coordination and efficiency, so that Cyprus can exercise its sovereign rights effectively, including fulfillment of search and rescue operations, within its FIR and EEZ.

He underlined that especially after recent developments in the EEZ, rescue cases will appear more often, as was the case recently with two incidents that had to be coordinated by the Centre for Search and Rescue operations involving transfer of two injured from the platform of “Noble”.

“For these reasons” he continued, “we put effort and coordinate so that the state can interfere effectively and deal with emergency situations”.

Replying to a question regarding cooperation of the Republic with neighboring countries on search and rescue the Minister of Defence said Cyprus cooperates with Greece, Israel and other neighboring countries, pointing out that joint exercises are being planned.

He added that Cyprus has also agreements with a number of countries, while agreements with other countries are being drafted, so that Cyprus could be developed and function as a regional center for search and rescue in cooperation with neighboring states.