Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (15.04.14) reports that the Turkish Minister of Energy and natural Resources, Taner Yildiz has alleged that the partner of the Republic of Cyprus in the field of energy is the “TRNC”, as he called the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the island. During a meeting he held yesterday with the Ankara Young Businessmen’s Association, Yildiz was asked by journalists to comment on a statement made by President Anastasiades, who had reportedly said that “we see Turkey as a client and not as a partner in the issue of the natural gas”.

Yildiz alleged the following: “Of course their partner is the TRNC, not Turkey. The whole of Cyprus should benefit in a fair manner from the wealth which is around the island. The TRNC is an independent state and together with the solution which they could develop jointly, we will continue to contribute positively in this project, but in case this feasibility is not politically secured, the non-solution is by the side of this issue as it always happens. We have been saying it from the beginning, the oil and natural gas, which is produced in exclusive economic zones that have not been clarified according to the international law, in areas the borders of which have not been drawn, must be shared by the whole of Cyprus. Therefore, their partners will be the TRNC, but Turkey is the most important transportation place and consumption point. The esteemed Greek Cypriot leader also says this in his statements. Their partner in the project is the TRNC”.

Yildiz went on and claimed that in the use of these resources, Cyprus should be evaluated as a whole and added that this might be either a “partnership” or a “sharing of income”, but Turkey is not a side in these processes.