In response to a question about the “continued activity of the Greek Cypriots in the oil and gas sector of the Eastern Mediterranean”, representative of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Tanzu Bilgichstated, among other things, the following:

“No country, company or vessel may explore and produce hydrocarbons on our continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean without our permission. Considering that these actions of the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus are carried out unilaterally without the consent of TDVK, the co-owner of all the natural resources of the island, they violate the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, increase tension in the Eastern Mediterranean and threaten peace and stability. We would like to remind both the countries of the region and the third parties behind which the Greek Cypriot side is hiding that such an escalation of tension in the Eastern Mediterranean will not benefit either side, and the proposal of the President of Turkey to organize conferences on the Eastern Mediterranean in 2020 and four proposals on tdvc cooperation with the Greek Cypriot side regarding hydrocarbon resources are still on the negotiating table. Our country will continue to resolutely defend both its rights and the rights of the PRC in the Eastern Mediterranean, and will continue to support the activities of the PRC in the hydrocarbon field in the near future.»