Southern Cyprus Appeals to International Court of Justice for Mediterranean
* Photo: AA / Archive
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In the wake of rising tension with Turkey over the drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southern Cyprus administration has appealed to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
Southern Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has announced that they will take all possible legal actions to take their rights in the region under protection. Speaking in Nicosia in Southern Cyprus, Anastasiades has said, "There is a major aim behind our appeal to the Hague."
He has also indicated that though he attempted to inform the Embassy of Turkey in Athens about their intentions, these attempts were not accepted.
'It gives us the right of appeal'
"At this stage, there is another way", President Anastasiades has stated and added that since there is evidence indicating that they warned Turkey, it gives them the right to appeal to the Hague.
According to Turkey, Southern Cyprus is not authorized to give licenses or the licenses granted to international companies violate some parts of country's continental shelf. Turkey sent its drilling ship Yavuz to the region.
Drilling disagreement started in 2010In December 2010, the Greek Cypriot side unilaterally signed the Continental Shelf Agreement with Israel. After the Greek Cypriots announced that they started drilling activities, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the then Prime Minister of Turkey, and Derviş Eroğlu, the then President of Northern Cyprus signed the Continental Shelf Restriction Agreement on September 21, 2011. Since then, the drilling disagreement has been brought into agenda in company with the Cyprus question. |
(PT/SD)