Hasipoğlu slams the Greek Cypriot side
Date Added: 06 October 2021

The General Secretary of the National Unity Party (UBP) Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu on Tuesday stressed that the TRNC will not allow the Greek Cypriot side to usurp it rights in the air and/or in the sea.

Issuing a written statement, Hasipoğlu stressed that the TRNC will continue to carry out its own hydrocarbon exploration activities with Turkey.

Reminding that the Greek Cypriot side engaged in serious provocations by entering Turkey’s continental shelf with the Nautical Geo research vessel on October 3, he said the vessel had been forced to leave the area after the Turkish navy intervened.

He also pointed out that the provocation had come at a time when the Greek Cypriot side had announced they will start unilateral drilling activities.

“This once again shows that the Greek Cypriot side does not aim to reach any agreement with us,” Hasipoğlu said, reminding that the Turkish Cypriot side had proposed the Greek Cypriot side to establish a joint energy committee aimed to discuss revenue sharing and co-management of the resources.

“Despite our repeated calls at the negotiating table, there is a prevalent mentality which rejected all those proposals. This means that our neighbour is not sincere, neither at the table nor off the table” he said.

“Their only aim is to return to pre-1974 conditions, end the Turkish existence on the island and to make Cyprus a Greek island. We will never allow the Greek Cypriot side to usurp the TRNC’s rights in the air and/or in the sea. The Greek Cypriot side will eventually understand that it cannot get what it wants through unilateral steps but through an agreement with us on the basis of sovereign equality and two states,” Hasipoğlu said.

Stressing that the TRNC will continue hydrocarbon exploration activities together with Turkey, he said “despite the Greek Cypriot side and its supporters’ efforts, Turkey and the TRNC have the faith and power to protect their rights. Therefore, our clear message to our neighbour who does not want to share the wealth of island with us is that ‘we will drill if you drill.