The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday slammed the Greek Cypriot administration following the announcement of the launch of its hydrocarbon exploration vessel Nautical Geo within its unilaterally declared so-called Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The foreign ministry in a written statement said that the Greek Cypriot administration was deliberately stoking tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Reminding that the Turkish Cypriot people had equal rights over the island of Cyprus as well as its resources, the statement read, “These rights emanate from the sovereign equality and equal status of rights granted to the Turkish Cypriot people in 1960. We therefore strongly condemn any actions taken without the consent of the Turkish Cypriot people.”

The foreign ministry also said that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will not allow such unilateral actions to go unanswered or remain a bystander to such acts of fait accompli.

It added that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to carry out its own exploration activities within the framework of licenses granted to Turkish Petroleum in 2011.

“Nevertheless the Turkish Cypriot side’s priority and preferred option is always to address this issue through cooperation. The Turkish Cypriot side’s July 13, 2019 dated proposal as well as the call made by Turkey to hold a joint conference to discuss the equitable and fair distribution of resources are important opportunities to settle these disagreements through diplomacy and dialogue,” it concluded.