Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan stated that Turkey would use all its rights stemming from international law if needed regarding hydrocarbon exploration activities.
Speaking to the Turkish Anatolian News Agency, Babacan said that “the Greek Cypriots had brought on themselves all the economic and financial problems they were currently experiencing”.
He said that all of the island’s resources were the common property of its inhabitants: “Turkish Cypriots have equal rights over any natural resources on the island discovered and extracted”.
“It is totally unacceptable to us and the Turkish Cypriots for the island’s natural resources to be used as collateral for the settlement of the South’s economic or financial problems” he added.
Babacan also said that Turkey has issued warnings on the issue of hydrocarbon exploration around Cyprus and claimed: “Should any such attempt be made, we and the Turkish Cypriot side shall exercise all our rights stemming from international law. We have a strong position in terms of international law.”
