President Nicos Anastasiades has said that if President Mustafa Akinci is re-elected, then the Cyprus talks can “definitely” resume.
In a video interview with ‘Politico’ magazine, the Greek Cypriot leader also referred to the fraught issue of sharing potential gas revenues from natural deposits offshore Cyprus.
He said that providing there is a de-escalation of tensions with Turkey over drilling rights in the region, he has offered a share of revenues if Ankara recognises the Greek Cypriots’ rights to explore for gas in the region.
“I’m ready to open an escrow account in favour of the Turkish Cypriot community, according to the population ratio.
“And if Turkey stops the aggressiveness, and recognises the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus, I’m ready to accept, even without finding a solution to the Cyprus question, to give the right to the Turkish Cypriots to benefit by withdrawing… any proceeds which might be the result of the exploitation of the natural resources.”
Referring to Turkey’s activities in the area, Anastasiades said: “If Turkey doesn’t dial down its aggression in the Eastern Mediterranean, it should lose its status as a candidate for EU accession.”
Anastasiades said: “Either they are compliant with the terms and conditions of any other candidate country, otherwise they could not be either a candidate or accepted.”
He added, “Although, we are in favour of having Turkey as a member state of the European Union, we prefer to have a European neighbour rather than to have an aggressive state the way Turkey is behaving.”
Cyprus Mail
