WITH THE September 21 drilling date getting closer by the day, Turkey has stepped up the rhetoric on Cyprus’s oil and gas exploration.
After threats last week from Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that Ankara would “take appropriate measures” if Greek Cypriots went ahead, Turkey has now asked Washington to aid in postponing the drilling, which is being carried out by an American company.
Turkey says the drilling is “unlawful and in violation of international law” and will negatively affect Cyprus settlement talks because it would “sap Greek Cypriot desire for a solution”, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told mainland newspaper Hurriyet on Sunday.
“We told the US officials that the unilateral oil and natural gas exploration activities by the Greek Cypriots were against international law and could lead to the end of the ongoing negotiation process for Cyprus unification,” the official said. Ankara also plans to approach the UN Security Council on the issue. “It’s improper that the Greek side is acting unilaterally as if they were the sole owner of the island,” the official added.
Setting aside the complexities of exclusive economic zones and the complicated deals Cyprus has signed with neighbouring countries for the exploration, there are some basic fundamental points Turkey seems to be overlooking.
Cyprus’ sovereignty is internationally recognised. Cyprus has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Therefore it is not acting against international law. And as for acting unilaterally, the Turkish invasion was unilateral. The declaration of independence of the ‘TRNC’ was unilateral. The development of Greek Cypriot properties was unilateral and the seeking of international recognition by the north was unilateral, so too was Turkey’s ban on Greek Cypriot air and sea traffic.
And in all likelihood, if there were oil and gas reserves off Kyrenia, the chances are that Ankara or the Turkish Cypriots would not be concerned at all that Greek Cypriots were losing out but would no doubt unilaterally go ahead and drill, irrespective of the effects on the talks.
That is not to say Turkish Cypriots should not have a share of the oil and gas if reserves are found, but the development should be a catalyst to speed up the talks, not the hindrance it is turning out to be.
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, in a speech on Sunday spoke again about “two peoples and two states” in Cyprus. If there was no oil and gas, and the world recognised the ‘TRNC’ tomorrow, Eroglu would run off with his statehood without a second thought for Greek Cypriots or the talks.
Ultimately, Turkey’s and the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s ‘spoiled brat’ attitude of ‘what’s yours is mine but what’s mine is my own” is simply not a convincing enough argument in a schoolyard – let alone under international law – to stop the start of drilling next month.
