The State Department responds to the threatening statements made by Turkey against Cyprus on the occasion of the concession of part 5 of the Cyprus EEZ to the joint venture of ExxonMobil and the Qatar Oil Company. Asked to comment on Ankara’s stance, a US State Department spokesman confirmed that Washington continues to recognize the right of the Republic of Cyprus to develop the resources within its EEZ.
It is recalled that the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which claims that the Turkish continental shelf extends to a part of the Cypriot plot, had stated that “Turkey, as before but also from now on, will not allow a foreign country, company or ship to to carry out hydrocarbon exploration activities without a license in the fields of its maritime jurisdiction, will not give such an opportunity and will continue to resolutely defend the rights of our country and the “TRNC” (occupied) “.
Responding to this position, the State Department spokesman noted that “The United States is closely monitoring developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. We call on the parties to take steps to help reduce tensions. The US policy for the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus is long-term and has not changed. The United States recognizes the right of the Republic of Cyprus to develop resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone. This is consistent with the US position on all states. In areas of overlapping maritime claims, we urge the parties to resolve their maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law. “We continue to believe that Cyprus’s oil and gas resources, like all its resources, should be shared equally between the two communities.”
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