QA-10, 30 April 2014

Turkey and the TRNC signed a continental shelf delimitation agreement on 21 September 2011, since the Greek Cypriot side started drilling activity on 19 September 2011 in the maritime areas that it had declared in disregard to the rights of the Turkish Cypriots who are the co-owners of the Island. The agreement takes into account the legitimate, equal and inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriots like those of the Greek Cypriots over the whole continental shelf of the Island. The Agreement entered into force on 12 December 2012 following the completion of the ratification process in both countries.

We find it difficult to understand Greece's objection to Turkey’s informing the UN of the outer limits of its continental shelf and, in this context, to the Turkey-TRNC Continental Shelf Agreement, which concerns an area unrelated to Greece. We believe that it would be more appropriate for Greece, as a guarantor country, to use its energy to see to the Greek Cypriot side end its unilateral actions that are damaging for the settlement process and cause tension.

Turkey preserves its resolute stance towards the transformation of the Eastern Mediterranean to an area of peace, stability and cooperation through rapidly reaching a just and lasting solution in the resumed UN negotiating process. We expect Greece to contribute to this vision.