DRILL TENSIONS IN MEDITERRANEAN
Turkey Deems US Statement 'Unrealistic,' Cyprus Vows 'International Arrest Warrant'
The Fatih drillship (Photo: AA)
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to a statement by the US State Department on Turkey's natural gas exploration operations in the west of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Ministry said the statement by the US is "unrealistic", asserting that Turkey is conducting activities in its own continental shelf and that Turkey made its position "explicitly clear regarding its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean since 2004."
"Third parties' action unacceptable"
The Ministry said the following:
"Since then, we have brought to the attention of the relevant countries and the international community that the Greek Cypriot Administration's EEZ delimitation agreements with the countries in the region are not valid for Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots and one of these agreements violates Turkey's continental shelf rights.
Similarly, Turkey has announced to the international community and registered with the UN its continental shelf in the region. Delimitation agreements based on equitable principles in accordance with the international law have not yet been concluded among all relevant coastal states in the region.
Therefore, the attempts of the third parties to act as an international court in determining maritime boundaries is unacceptable.
In this context, the statement of the US calling Turkey by expressing that "there exists Greek Cypriot claims over the area" is neither constructive nor compatible with international law, given the fact that there is no valid maritime delimitation agreement in the region.
Our drilling and seismic vessels will resolutely continue their activities in our continental shelf in the areas where our Government granted the Turkish Petroleum licenses in 2009 and 2012.
Likewise, unless the Greek Cypriots include the Turkish Cypriots, as the equal partners of the Island, into the decision-making mechanisms regarding hydrocarbon resources or cease their unilateral hydrocarbon activities, Turkey will continue to protect the continental shelf rights of the Turkish Cypriots as well."
Cyprus may "issue an arrest warrant"
Cyprus Government Spokesperson Prodromos Prodromou said yesterday (May 5) that they could issue an international arrest warrant for those involved in the actions of Turkey's drillship, the Cyprus Mail reported.
While he said "it would not be to their benefit to making the measures they will take public," Prodromou admitted an arrest warrant is among those measures.
"All those who are involved in the violation of the economic exclusion zone (EEZ) of Cyprus may be certainly prosecuted by international justice," he said.
"We will take all measures which are in our disposal through our international relations, Cyprus' membership to the EU and international law," the spokesperson added.
What is EEZ?The exclusive economic zone is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, subject to the specific legal regime established in this Part, under which the rights and jurisdiction of the coastal State and the rights and freedoms of other States are governed by the relevant provisions of this Convention. In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds. Source: United Nations |
(PT/VK)