LEFKOSA
The foreign minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Thursday warned the Greek Cypriot administration about the tender it had opened for oil and natural gas exploration.
Huseyin Ozgurgun said many of the areas for which a tender is opened were the same areas for which TRNC allowed Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) to explore for oil and natural gas, and called on relevant parties to refrain from cooperating with the Greek Cypriot administration.
Ozgurgun said this move of the Greek Cypriot administration was an unfortunate development that could escalate tension, and noted that Turkish Cypriot people, one of the two equal partners of the island, had equal rights with the Greek Cypriot people in exploring, striking and processing natural resources in the island.
"We do not turn a blind eye to Greek Cypriot's efforts to make a fait accompli and usurp the rights of Turkish Cypriot people, and I would like to once more stress that guarantor state Turkey and we are determined to take every measure to protect our rights and interests," Ozgurgun said.
Ozgurgun said that TRNC was determined to continue exploring and striking hydrocarbon with Turkey's and TPAO's support in those mentioned areas.
It was not late to cooperate in hydrocarbon exploration in the East Mediterranean, Ozgurgun said.
Ozgurgun recalled the four-point proposal on rightful share of natural resources President Dervis Eroglu presented to show the good will and compromising attitude of the Turkish Cypriots during New York meeting on September 24, 2011, and said the proposal was still valid.
"In case the Greek Cypriot administration gives a positive response to this constructive proposal, this significant problem that escalates tension in the region will be overcome in a fair way, and it can be possible to create an atmosphere of confidence between the two parties in Cyprus," Ozgurgun said.
TPAO launched oil and natural gas land drilling initiatives in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) at the end of April.
On September 21, 2011, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Dervis Eroglu of TRNC signed in New York an agreement on the delineation of the continental shelf between two countries in the East Mediterranean. Under the agreement, TPAO shall be able to make three dimensional seismic research and drilling in TRNC land and sea more actively.
The agreement followed a Greek Cypriot move to start offshore drilling for natural gas and oil in the southeast of the Eastern Mediterranean island.
On September 22, 2011, TRNC Council of Ministers gave exploration license to TPAO to explore oil and natural gas around Cyprus island TPAO, by Piri Reis vessel, began geophysical research and seismic data collecting studies on behalf of TRNC on September 26, 2011.
The Greek Cypriot administration completed the second round hydrocarbon tender on May 11, and announced that there were 15 bidders in the tender.
