Cyprus negotiations should resume soon: TRNC Minister

By Gulsen Cagatay

ANKARA

Talks between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot administration should resume soon, TRNC Environment and Natural Resources Minister Hakan Dincyurek told AA on Monday.

Until now, the Greek Cypriot administration has imposed various condtitions to restarting talks with the TRNC. "But now we believe that they will resume negotiations without any preconditions," Dincyurek said.

"The Greek Cypriot administration has seen the international community’s reaction to their leaving the negotiation table while it was win-win situation for some, and while it was a give-and-take situation for others. They left the table when both sides were about to make some decisions. This kind of politics is not acceptable," he said. 

Dincyurek said that the Greek Cypriot exploration for natural gas and hydrocarbon resources is making things difficult to find solutions in the island, and that is unacceptable. 

If the Greek Cypriots continue to explore for hydrocarbons around the island, someone has to remind them that Turkish Cypriots also have rights to these natural resources, he said.  

"If the Greek Cypriots engage in drilling activities without the accord of Northern Cyprus, the other side also will have the right to do so," he said.

Turkey has removed its exploration vessel Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa from the seas around the island, while the Saipem 10000 drillship, which was exploring on behalf of Eni and Kogas, has stopped operations and left the area, 

But Dincyurek said that the actions of the exploration vessel were not the main reason for the Greek Cypriots' leaving the negotiations,  

There is no relation between the Greek Cypriots leaving the negotiations and the actions of the Barbaros ship, and there cannot be any such relation, Dincyurek said.  

There is, however, now no reason to hold up negotiations, Dincyurek said. 

In the meantime, Espen Barth Eide, United Nations Special Adviser on Cyprus, is visiting Cyprus from April 6 to 8.

The UN announced that Special Adviser Eide would follow up on the encouraging indications received during his last trip to the island regarding a possible resumption of the negotiations. 

Negotiations between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot administration had resumed after a two-year pause in February 2013.

Previously, Italian Energy Company ENI and Korea Gas Corp, or KORGAS , which searched for natural gas off Cyprus, announced on March 26 that they were unsuccessful during the drilling exploration in the region. 

However, the Greek Cypriot administration suspended the talks over the divided island on Oct. 7 after Turkey sent the the exploration mission to the waters around Cyprus.