If they really want to talk then they should recognise the Republic of Cyprus, President Nicos Anastasiades said tonight in response to the Turkish Foreign Minister's statements on the sharing of Cyprus' natural gas.
Asked to comment on the statements of Turkish Foreign Minister Mr. Mevlut Cavusoglu, who reiterated the demand for equal gas sharing with the Turkish Cypriots, calling on the EU to intervene in order for Cyprus' gas to pass through Turkey to Europe, the President of the Republic said that "what I have to say to Mr Cavusoglu is that if he really wants to talk to us (then) first and foremost he should recognize the Republic of Cyprus.
Second, and equally important is that they should accept our proposal, our invitation either for dialogue to determine the dividing lines between the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey or we should resort to arbitration.
If and when they accept something similar and the decision will now determine the dividing lines between the EEZ of the two countries, everything can be on the table if and when the studies show that a similar solution may be more advantageous."
If and when they accept something similar and the decision will now determine the dividing lines between the EEZ of the two countries, everything can be on the table if and when the studies show that a similar solution may be more advantageous.
Asked whether Nicosia favours a pipeline from Israel to Cyprus and a floating liquefaction plant in Cyprus and to a remark that today the US Assistant Secretary of State did not seem to disagree, the President said that "it is not a Cyprus issue, it is a matter of a quadrilateral decision between Cyprus, Israel, Greece, Italy. It is a project for which Europe has decided that it should even finance the feasibility study in order to execute it. Therefore, it is not a matter of Cyprus or our claims."
In response to a reporter's remark that the proposal concerns Energeian, the President said that "I do not comment on proposals that are still under discussion."
Asked if he still considers the EastMed pipeline viable, President Anastasiades said that "everything will depend on the study being conducted with EU funding."
(PM/EC)
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