President Ersin Tatar calls on the Greek Cypriot Administration for cooperation on energy
“We can solve the energy problem of Cyprus by establishing an interconnection cable system to Europe via Türkiye”
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President Ersin Tatar has made a fresh call to the Greek Cypriot Administration for the two Sides in Cyprus to cooperate on energy by an interconnectivity system that could run via the Republic of Türkiye to the European Union.
President Tatar made the call during his address at the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Summit that was held at the Mustafa Çağatay Conference Hall of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
The event was organised by the Federation of All Bureaucrats and Businesspersons (TÜMBİFED) and the Association of Euro-Med Studies.
President Tatar stated that the “parameters of the energy equation in the Eastern Mediterranean have now changed,” adding that “a two State settlement is the formula that will ensure a fair distribution of potential energy resources in the Mediterranean”.
Stating that there are two separate peoples, two separate States and democracies in the Island of Cyprus, President Tatar said that the “TRNC is becoming more acknowledged internationally and will be formally recognised when the day comes”.
The President added that the “economic and political difficulties that the country is passing through will be overcome together with the support of Türkiye”.
“Maritime law and international law are the underlying basis for the TRNC to get its share from the potential resources that exist in the Eastern Mediterranean,” President Tatar said. “The TRNC has legitimate rights and interests, and has a right to 462,000 square kilometres along with its exclusive economic zone, continental shelf, territorial waters, maritime jurisdiction areas. We place great importance with regards to defending our Blue Homeland.”
Referring to the Türkiye-Libya maritime delimitation agreement that “has opened a corridor” between the two countries, President Tatar added: “This delimitation agreement will create new maps and balances in the region and may place an obstacle to some of the unilateral projects of the Greek Cypriot Side, that is trying to turn the Mediterranean into a Hellenic lake, to bring Türkiye under siege.”
Referring to his fresh call to the Greek Cypriot Side on cooperating on natural resources, President Tatar said: “According to international law, that is accepted by all relevant parties, there is an acceptance that these natural resources belong to both Turkish Cypriot People and the Greek Cypriot People. We are ready to turn this crisis into an opportunity which continues to negatively affect the relations between the two Sides.” President Tatar stated that it is important for the Turkish Cypriot Side to take seek a redress at different courts of law.
Underlining that Cyprus is located at the “intersection of world trade where oil and natural gas reserves exist in significant quantities,” President Tatar added that the drilling carried out by Southern Cyprus continues is illegal and ignores the rights of the Turkish Cypriot People.
“Any unilateral drilling and exploitation of natural gas by the Greek Cypriot Side is not legal and requires the approval of the TRNC and the Republic of Türkiye,” President Tatar said.
Extending a message to the Greek Cypriot Administration, President Tatar said: "Let us cooperate, let us connect to Europe via an interconnection cable through the Republic of Türkiye. It is not logical, feasible or practical for Southern Cyprus to refuse an energy transfer to Europe via the Republic of Türkiye, which is just 40 miles away from the Island of Cyprus.”
He explained that the Greek Cypriot Side wanted to execute this project through Greece, that will be both costly and difficult.
Pointing out that a settlement to the Cyprus issue will also pave the way for a “fair distribution of the resources in the Mediterranean”, President Tatar stated that “everyone knows that Turkish Cypriot People will not approve a settlement in which the majority will rule the minority on a federal basis and where Türkiye is to be completely excluded from the Eastern Mediterranean”.
President Tatar made the call during his address at the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Summit that was held at the Mustafa Çağatay Conference Hall of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
The event was organised by the Federation of All Bureaucrats and Businesspersons (TÜMBİFED) and the Association of Euro-Med Studies.
President Tatar stated that the “parameters of the energy equation in the Eastern Mediterranean have now changed,” adding that “a two State settlement is the formula that will ensure a fair distribution of potential energy resources in the Mediterranean”.
Stating that there are two separate peoples, two separate States and democracies in the Island of Cyprus, President Tatar said that the “TRNC is becoming more acknowledged internationally and will be formally recognised when the day comes”.
The President added that the “economic and political difficulties that the country is passing through will be overcome together with the support of Türkiye”.
“Maritime law and international law are the underlying basis for the TRNC to get its share from the potential resources that exist in the Eastern Mediterranean,” President Tatar said. “The TRNC has legitimate rights and interests, and has a right to 462,000 square kilometres along with its exclusive economic zone, continental shelf, territorial waters, maritime jurisdiction areas. We place great importance with regards to defending our Blue Homeland.”
Referring to the Türkiye-Libya maritime delimitation agreement that “has opened a corridor” between the two countries, President Tatar added: “This delimitation agreement will create new maps and balances in the region and may place an obstacle to some of the unilateral projects of the Greek Cypriot Side, that is trying to turn the Mediterranean into a Hellenic lake, to bring Türkiye under siege.”
Referring to his fresh call to the Greek Cypriot Side on cooperating on natural resources, President Tatar said: “According to international law, that is accepted by all relevant parties, there is an acceptance that these natural resources belong to both Turkish Cypriot People and the Greek Cypriot People. We are ready to turn this crisis into an opportunity which continues to negatively affect the relations between the two Sides.” President Tatar stated that it is important for the Turkish Cypriot Side to take seek a redress at different courts of law.
Underlining that Cyprus is located at the “intersection of world trade where oil and natural gas reserves exist in significant quantities,” President Tatar added that the drilling carried out by Southern Cyprus continues is illegal and ignores the rights of the Turkish Cypriot People.
“Any unilateral drilling and exploitation of natural gas by the Greek Cypriot Side is not legal and requires the approval of the TRNC and the Republic of Türkiye,” President Tatar said.
Extending a message to the Greek Cypriot Administration, President Tatar said: "Let us cooperate, let us connect to Europe via an interconnection cable through the Republic of Türkiye. It is not logical, feasible or practical for Southern Cyprus to refuse an energy transfer to Europe via the Republic of Türkiye, which is just 40 miles away from the Island of Cyprus.”
He explained that the Greek Cypriot Side wanted to execute this project through Greece, that will be both costly and difficult.
Pointing out that a settlement to the Cyprus issue will also pave the way for a “fair distribution of the resources in the Mediterranean”, President Tatar stated that “everyone knows that Turkish Cypriot People will not approve a settlement in which the majority will rule the minority on a federal basis and where Türkiye is to be completely excluded from the Eastern Mediterranean”.