'No country can carry out hydrocarbon exploration within Turkish continental shelf'

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) – The Greek Cypriot administration cannot carry out hydrocarbon exploration within Türkiye’s continental shelf without Ankara's consent, the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday.

"It is out of the question for any country, company, or ship to conduct hydrocarbon exploration or exploitation activities within the Turkish continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean without our consent," Tanju Bilgic said in a statement.

Bilgic said the Greek Cypriot administration has "unilaterally" carried out hydrocarbon activities without the consent of its neighbor the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which violates the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, who are co-owners of all the natural resources on and around the island.

He added that such activities also increase tension and threaten peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"While President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan’s 2020 proposal to hold an inclusive Eastern Mediterranean Conference and the four cooperation proposals made by the TRNC to the Greek Cypriots on hydrocarbon resources are still on the table, we would like to remind both the countries in the region and the third parties who the Greek Cypriots hide behind that escalating tension in the Eastern Mediterranean in this way would not benefit any party," Bilgic said.

Türkiye will continue to resolutely protect both its own and the TRNC's rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, and will continue to support the TRNC's hydrocarbon activities in the days and years ahead, he added.