Lillikas briefs Russian oil companies on final day of visit

FOREIGN MINISTER George Lillikas wrapped up a visit to Moscow yesterday with a speech briefing Russian oil companies on the exploitation of hydrocarbon deposits in the island’s exclusive economic zone.

Welcoming at the Cypriot Embassy in Moscow the representatives of 25 Russian energy and hydrocarbon exploitation companies, Lillikas said: “The government of the Republic of Cyprus believes that the time has come for Cyprus to join the research for hydrocarbons in its exclusive economic zone, an activity in which neighbouring countries have been engaged for some decades.”

Lillikas referred to research so far and announced that Cyprus was offering eleven sections of research to interested oil companies. He called on friendly countries, such as Russia, to show an interest through their companies.

Referring to existing agreements with Egypt and Lebanon for the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones, Lillikas said: They are an example of respect of the independence and sovereignty of states, which is an element of modern political understanding”.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.