The Republic of Cyprus, in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, informs him on the Turkish threats against Cyprus and alerts him of a situation that may require the latter to use his good offices to prevent a further escalation of tensions, which has the potential to endanger international peace and security.
The position is outlined in letters which Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Minas Hadzimichael has sent to the President of the UN General Assembly following Turkish Prime Minister Tayip Erdogan’s speech before the UN body on 22 September where he unleashed threats against Cyprus over the start of the exploration activities in its Exclusive Economic Zone to locate hydrocarbons.
The reply of the Republic of Cyprus to the Turkish threats has been distributed as a UN official document.
In his letter, the Cypriot diplomat condemns the unacceptable references of the Turkish Prime Minister in relation to the bicommunal negotiations and the start of the exploratory activity for hydrocarbons in its Exclusive Economic Zone.
The government of the Republic of Cyprus, the letter notes, expresses its regret because “even from the esteemed podium of the General Assembly, the Prime Minister of Turkey, in his address during the general debate on 22 September 2011, proceeded to make threats by saying that Turkey will “do whatever is necessary” if the Government of the Republic of Cyprus continues with the exercise of its sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone”.
Hadziminas said “it is Turkey’s refusal to uphold international law and legality coupled with her turning a deaf ear to United Nations Security Council resolutions that creates tension and threatens to provoke a crisis, and not the exercise of the legitimate sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus according to international law and in particular the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea”.
He also notes that Erdogan also made unacceptable remarks on the ongoing direct
negotiations between the two communities in their effort to resolve the Cyprus problem. “If Mr. Erdogan truly wishes to play a constructive role and “provide support to reaching a solution as soon as possible”, as he claimed in his speech, he simply needs to encourage (Dervis) Eroglu, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, to cease to retract from already found convergences and work on the agreed basis for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem”.
In this regard, the Cypriot diplomat underlines, “Erdogan should also himself cease to sustain Turkey’s illegal puppet regime in the areas of Cyprus occupied by the Turkish military by signing “agreements” that are inevitably null and void under international law, most recently through a so-called agreement on the delimitation of Cyprus’ continental shelf. Such agreements”, he added, can only be entered into and have validity in the face of international law if they are concluded with the legitimate Government of Cyprus.
The letter adds that “not only is Turkey destructive with regard to the process of reaching a settlement to the Cyprus problem; moreover, Mr. Erdogan preaches about the inviolability of Security Council resolutions and the need to uphold international law, but only when that concerns others! It seems necessary to remind Mr. Erdogan that, if a speedy solution to the Cyprus problem is to be reached, Turkey itself needs to uphold numerous relevant Security Council resolutions and act within international law”.
Moreover, and given the provocative behaviour of Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean region, if any further tension arises it is Turkey who will be the sole culprit”, Hadzimichael concludes.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources note that from 16 September until today, at least two letters by the Permanent Representative of Cyprus have been forwarded to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly regarding the Turkish threats and violations of Turkey. These letters have been distributed to members of the Security Council.
In the letter dated 16 September, Ambassador Hadzimichael draws Ban’s attention to a series of alarming actions by Turkey against the Republic of Cyprus, which occurred on 15 September, noting that these actions are a “culmination of inflammatory statements by Turkish high ranking officials in the past few months, constituting direct threats to peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean”.
He also notes that a navigational telex NAVTEX was issued by Turkey announcing its intention to proceed with seismic surveys including within an area under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus.
In the letter, the ambassador underlines that “Turkey’s authorities are not the competent authorities to issue such navigational announcements for the said area – the announcement itself being in violation of IMO standards and regulations and is therefore null and void – it nonetheless demonstrates Turkey’s intentions to unilaterally proceed with seismic surveys in areas that fall within Cyprus’ EEZ in violation of international law”.
He also brings to Ban’s attention Turkey’s announcement that together with the illegal regime in the Turkish occupied north of the island, “they have agreed to proceed with a ‘delimitation agreement’ of their continental shelf should the Government of the Republic of Cyprus pursue its intention for drilling in the southeast se area of the island”.
“All these actions by Turkey”, said the Ambassador, “illustrate that is aim is to undermine the sovereign actions of the Republic of Cyprus and further, to manipulate circumstances so as to detrimentally affect the ongoing negotiation process between the two communities in Cyprus. Moreover, this creates unrest and rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean as a whole, giving rise to wider security concerns”.
Concluding, the Cypriot diplomat notes that he brings all these to the UNSG’s attention and alerts him of a situation that may require the latter to use his good offices to prevent a further escalation of tensions, which has the potential to endanger international peace and security.
Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus’ northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus. Following a decision by Nicosia to begin natural gas and oil exploration in its exclusive economic zone, Ankara has deployed warships in the Eastern Mediterranean and has signed an illegal agreement with the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf.
Drilling has already begun and is being carried out by Houston-based “Noble Energy”, off Cyprus’ south-eastern coast.
The government of Cyprus has protested to the UN and the EU Turkey’s moves, saying it has a sovereign right to exploit its natural resources, pointing out that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will benefit from any benefits that may come from oil drilling.
Cyprus has signed an agreement to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Israel with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its Exclusive Economic Zone. A similar agreement has been signed with Lebanon but the Lebanese Parliament has not yet ratified it.
UN – led Cyprus talks are currently underway between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, aiming to reach a mutually agreed federal solution.
The illegal regime in Turkish occupied Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey. Numerous UN Security Council resolutions have called upon all states not to cooperate with the regime and have described the declaration of the regime as invalid, stressing that the only legal government in Cyprus is the Republic of Cyprus.
