LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
The withdrawal of the Greek Cypriot administration from settlement talks, after Turkey sent a warship to monitor oil and gas exploration off the coast of Cyprus, is the wrong attitude to take, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has said.
Dervis Eroglu's remarks came after Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades abandoned the talks with the Turkish Cypriot leadership on Tuesday following reports that a Turkish corvette had been sent to monitor Greek Cypriot exploration.
Eroglu said in a written statement on Tuesday: "The Greek Cypriot side once again showed that, through this attitude, they are not sincere in efforts towards finding solutions via negotiations on the Cyprus issue."
The Turkish General Staff warned Monday that it was closely monitoring the drillship SAIPEM-10000 off the southern coast of Cyprus, and Turkey warned the Greek Cypriot administration against unilateral moves to extract natural gas and oil without considering Turkish Cypriot views.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday: "Turkey follows with concern the Greek Cypriot administration’s continuing unilateral research activities of hydrocarbon resources in its so-called exclusive economic zone without taking into account the Turkish Cypriots’ detailed and concrete cooperation proposals for fair sharing.”
Eroglu also said the rights of Turkish Cypriots would be preserved with the support of Turkey.
The Greek Foreign Ministry sent Tuesday a protest note to Turkey over sending the warship.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by a Turkish peace mission to aid Turkish Cypriots in 1974.
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