TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs Statement : Southern Cyprus to Egypt undersea pipelines agreement

The Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus has taken even further its existing collaboration with Egypt in relation to the hydrocarbon resources. We strongly condemn the signing of a framework agreement by Greek Cypriot Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis and Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek el-Molla on 31 August 2016 regarding the gas to be transmitted from the natural gas reserves of the Island to Egypt via undersea pipelines.  We once again call for a rapid revision of the ongoing unilateral and trust-damaging behaviour of the Greek Cypriot side, which has continued despite our countless calls and suggestions.

While the United Nations and greater international community have made recommendations to all of the relevant parties to be moderate and constructive in today’s critical era, it is highly thought-provoking that the Greek Cypriot side has insisted on taking steps that negatively affect the process rather than maintaining its already delicate balance. Despite being well aware of the Turkish Cypriot side’s well-known sensitivity towards the natural resources surrounding Cyprus as an equally rightful owner, the Greek Cypriot Administration is continuing to violate and ignore the Turkish Cypriot’s rights, and disregard or take no notice of the potential damage this will do on the already limited trust between the two communities.

We hereby find it beneficial to ask our Greek Cypriot counterparts to immediately put an end to taking such unfavourable, unacceptable steps that create tension, and would also like to state once again that we cannot tolerate any further violations of the Turkish Cypriot people’s rights.

TRNC PIO 1st September 2016,
Lefkoşa.
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