Turkey has rejected our proposal to take the delineation of the exclusive economic zone between the two countries to The Hague, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday, when asked to comment on Ankara’s position on the Israeli-Lebanese maritime agreement.
Following a church mass for the anniversary of 28th of October, at the Apostle Varnavas cathedral, in Nicosia, the President was invited by the press to comment on the announcement of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Israel-Lebanon agreement is a good precedent for the case of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
The President reminded that a proposal was submitted by the government for a dialogue between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey or even to take recourse to the international court in The Hague to delineate the EEZ of each country, based on the Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as international law. “They rejected it”, he said.
The President said that what happened and resulted in a peaceful solution between Lebanon and Israel could be a real paradigm.
But, he said, Cyprus’ occupied areas are not a separate state entity and therefore we could not follow Turkey’s advice. The President underlined that Turkey violates the rights of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and disputes 40% of the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus.
Replying to another question for “biased attitude” by UNFICYP, following recent incidents in the buffer zone in Deneia village and whether he intends to request the replacement of Colin Stewart, who serves as Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, President Anastasiades said that the necessary protestations are being made in every direction, including the UN Secretary General.
Asked to say whether there is any update about the arrival of UN official Rosemary di Carlo in Cyprus, the President said that in November we may have the visit of a high-ranking official of the United Nations.
As regards today’s anniversary, he said that this is one of the most historic days of Hellenism against fascism and Nazism and the ‘’OXI’’ guides every nation whose rights are being violated.
OXI day commemorates the rejection by Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas of the ultimatum by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on 28 October 1940.
Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. Numerous talks under the UN aegis failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations took place in the summer of 2017 in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana.
Turkey claims a portion of Cyprus’s claimed EEZ based on Turkey’s definition that no islands, including Cyprus, can have a full EEZ.
Source: Cyprus News Agency