Çavuşoğlu: “We will continue to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey”.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu evaluated the drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean to NTV Television in Davos, Switzerland where he attended the World Economic Forum.
Minister Çavuşoğlu stated that the drilling activities are continuing in two areas and one of those is in Turkey’s continental shelf. Çavuşoğlu pointed out that those areas, including the 7th parcel, overlap with the areas that the Greek Cypriots have licensed and mentioned that Turkey does not even discuss the areas which are in its continental shelf. Minister Çavuşoğlu also said ‘Moreover, including the Greek Cypriot Administration, no one is denying that the Turkish Cypriot people have rights on the hydrocarbon resources around Cyprus.’ Stating that Turkey could work together with Italy and other countries in its own continental shelf Cavusoglu added: ‘We are ready to cooperate with all parties in the area, except the Greek Cypriot Administration, however Turkey will continue to protect the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey in every field’.
