TURKEY has no right to interfere in the signing of an agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon on exclusive economic zones, President Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday.
Papadopoulos was responding to reports on the French news agency, AFP, saying Turkey had protested to Lebanon over Wednesday’s signing of the agreement, which will allow for offshore oil and gas exploration.
AFP was quoting a source in the Lebanese government saying Turkey had lodged a “strong protest” with Beirut.
The source said Turkey considered that Lebanon should have first asked its opinion before signing any agreement with Cyprus, “which also has a Turkish area”.
But Papadopoulos said yesterday that Turkey had no rights to the possible deposits of oil and gas that may exist in the marine territory of Cyprus, and particular in the southernmost parts.
Papadopoulos said Turkey’s reaction was the very reason why the deal had been kept practically secret until the day Foreign Minister George Lillikas went to Beirut to sign, following a year of negotiations. He said that lesson had been learned in the past when Cyprus was negotiating similar agreements with Egypt.
“We do not believe Turkey has any rights in this according to our legal advice, and particularly in relation to the southern side of the island,” said Papadopoulos.
Asked if there was any possibility of signing a deal for an exclusive economic zone with Turkey, Papadopoulos said: “No, of course not.”
Wednesday’s agreement was signed between Lillikas and Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport Mohammed al-Safadi in Beirut. Lebanon is the second country Cyprus has reached a deal with on the exclusive economic zone. An agreement was signed with Egypt in 2005.
The government is in the process of reaching agreements with all of its neighbours on the determination of exclusive economic zones before exploration can begin for possible deposits of oil and natural gas off the coast.
Previous studies have estimated that oil and natural gas reserves in the seas surrounding Cyprus amount to six to eight billion barrels, currently worth around $400 billion.
Papadopoulos said on Tuesday that the Cabinet had approved a legal framework that would secure the country’s interests; it is hoped that it will be approved by the House of Representatives shortly.
He said the area to be exploited would be divided into fields, and tenders will be sought at an international level for the work that needs to be done.
