UK Foreign Office explains non support of
EU demarche to the UN
The Foreign Office has attributed the UK`s reluctance to support an EU demarche at the UN regarding Turkey`s incursion into the Republic of Cyprus`s Exclusive Economic Zone to its desire to avoid further tension.
In a statement to the Cyprus News Agency, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The UK did not support the EU demarche at the UN because this was an unusual procedure that risked raising tensions and frustrating the UN`s facilitation of the settlement talks. We want to reduce tensions and to encourage the parties to resume settlement talks. That remains our aim.”
The spokesperson repeated a previous statement stressing that the UK “recognizes the Republic of Cyprus` sovereign rights to exploit mineral reserves in its EEZ”, and that it remains London`s position that “such resources should be exploited for the benefit of all the communities in Cyprus.”
The statement adds: “We regret that Turkey`s announcement of exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean has raised tensions and call on all parties to avoid inflammatory actions or statements.”
“This incident underlines the importance of a comprehensive settlement. We therefore hope that settlement talks can resume as soon as possible. The UK strongly supports the UN`s efforts to facilitate a lasting settlement,” the statement added.
Turkey has recently announced its decision to illegally interfere in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Cyprus. The Turkish scientific ship Barbaros Hayreddin Pasa, accompanied by two other support vessels, will carry out a seismic survey from 20 October to 30 December 2014 in the southern sea of Cyprus and more specifically in blocks 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9 of the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Cyprus. For that purpose, Turkey has already issued a navigational telex directive, through which it designated certain areas of the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Cyprus as reserved.
Source: Cyprus Mail / CNA
I believe the tests conducted by Turkey are being performed on behalf of TRNC.