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UN'S BAN SAYS NATURAL RESOURCES OF CYPRUS BELONG TO BOTH COMMUNITIES
Today's Zaman
Sept 27 2011
Turkey
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
had talks in New York on Tuesday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has confirmed during a meeting with
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that natural resources of
Cyprus island belong to both Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities,
a view Turkey voiced in the past few months as a response to unilateral
offshore drilling by Greek Cypriots in eastern Mediterranean.
Ban and Davutoglu had talks in New York on Tuesday where two leaders
discussed a variety of developments in the region, including recent
developments in eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey is using its navy and air force to escort a ship conducting
oil and gas exploration off Cyprus in the latest development in
a disagreement over the ownership of the disputed island nation's
natural resources.
Cyprus is divided into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot
north. The southern administration began exploratory drilling for
oil and gas last week, prompting strong protests from Turkey, which
doesn't recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.
In response, Turkey signed an oil and gas exploration deal with the
Turkish Cypriots and sent a Turkish research ship to the Mediterranean
to start exploration. Turkish Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey.
"We will try all channels of peace, but we will also protect our
country's interests until the end," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan of Turkey said on Tuesday at an unrelated ceremony to mark
the delivery of the first Turkish-made corvette warship to the navy.
The Turkish research ship, Koca Piri Reis, began its exploration on
Monday, but Turkish and Turkish Cypriots officials refused to reveal
the ship's exact location then.
Greek Cyprus licensed US-based Noble Energy Inc. to search for
oil and gas near recently discovered Israeli offshore fields that
contain more than 450 billion cubic meters (15.9 trillion cubic feet)
of natural gas. Greek Cyprus is exploring areas, around 115 miles
(185 kilometers) off Cyprus, near where Israel discovered gas.
Turkey says any natural resources found offshore should belong to
both communities.
State-run Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday that diplomatic
sources said Davutoglu briefed Ban on progress on peace talks
between Cypriots to reunify the long divided island and developments
surrounding the eastern Mediterranean. Ban also told Davutoglu that
he will convene both Cypriot leaders in October in New York.
Ban and Davutoglu also exchanged views on Somalia, Libya, Syria,
recent developments over Cyprus and UN's flotilla report.
Diplomatic sources said UN Secretary General thanked Davutoglu for
Turkey's contribution to aid campaign to Somalia, while Turkish foreign
minister briefed Ban on Turkey's effort to eradicate poverty in the
Horn of Africa.
Ban also stressed during the meeting that Turkey is a leading country
in Libya and both officials exchanged views on the latest developments
in Syria and Libya.
Officials also discussed UN's flotilla report and Davutoglu reportedly
reiterated Turkey's position on the report.
Today's Zaman
Sept 27 2011
Turkey
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
had talks in New York on Tuesday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has confirmed during a meeting with
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that natural resources of
Cyprus island belong to both Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities,
a view Turkey voiced in the past few months as a response to unilateral
offshore drilling by Greek Cypriots in eastern Mediterranean.
Ban and Davutoglu had talks in New York on Tuesday where two leaders
discussed a variety of developments in the region, including recent
developments in eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey is using its navy and air force to escort a ship conducting
oil and gas exploration off Cyprus in the latest development in
a disagreement over the ownership of the disputed island nation's
natural resources.
Cyprus is divided into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot
north. The southern administration began exploratory drilling for
oil and gas last week, prompting strong protests from Turkey, which
doesn't recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.
In response, Turkey signed an oil and gas exploration deal with the
Turkish Cypriots and sent a Turkish research ship to the Mediterranean
to start exploration. Turkish Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey.
"We will try all channels of peace, but we will also protect our
country's interests until the end," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan of Turkey said on Tuesday at an unrelated ceremony to mark
the delivery of the first Turkish-made corvette warship to the navy.
The Turkish research ship, Koca Piri Reis, began its exploration on
Monday, but Turkish and Turkish Cypriots officials refused to reveal
the ship's exact location then.
Greek Cyprus licensed US-based Noble Energy Inc. to search for
oil and gas near recently discovered Israeli offshore fields that
contain more than 450 billion cubic meters (15.9 trillion cubic feet)
of natural gas. Greek Cyprus is exploring areas, around 115 miles
(185 kilometers) off Cyprus, near where Israel discovered gas.
Turkey says any natural resources found offshore should belong to
both communities.
State-run Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday that diplomatic
sources said Davutoglu briefed Ban on progress on peace talks
between Cypriots to reunify the long divided island and developments
surrounding the eastern Mediterranean. Ban also told Davutoglu that
he will convene both Cypriot leaders in October in New York.
Ban and Davutoglu also exchanged views on Somalia, Libya, Syria,
recent developments over Cyprus and UN's flotilla report.
Diplomatic sources said UN Secretary General thanked Davutoglu for
Turkey's contribution to aid campaign to Somalia, while Turkish foreign
minister briefed Ban on Turkey's effort to eradicate poverty in the
Horn of Africa.
Ban also stressed during the meeting that Turkey is a leading country
in Libya and both officials exchanged views on the latest developments
in Syria and Libya.
Officials also discussed UN's flotilla report and Davutoglu reportedly
reiterated Turkey's position on the report.