PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias urged the UN Security Council to do more in the face of Turkish threats over Cyprus’ exploratory offshore natural gas drilling.
“Thankfully, the Security Council – each country separately – has defended the Republic of Cyprus’ right,” Christofias said.
“Is this enough?” he asked at the annual gala of the Cyprus Federation of America in New York on Friday. “We think it is not enough because (Turkish Prime Minister) Mr. (Tayyip) Erdogan has ordered ships and submarines to patrol around the rig and has aircraft flying above.”
Christofias said Cyprus is faced with Turkey’s expansionist behaviour.
“As an economic power, market and political and military force, (Turkey) cannot control itself. Its foreign policy is characterised by arrogance and cynicism, which I think at the end of the day will turn against it,” Christofias said. “When you have power and you do not know how to handle it, you may eventually hurt yourself.”
Christofias said Turkey’s policy on the Cyprus problem was erratic, noting that while Erdogan criticised Israel for not respecting UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue, his country continued to violate a series of resolutions on Cyprus.
Turkish officials have been issuing threats almost on a daily basis in the past couple of weeks over Cyprus’ exploratory drilling in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
It has also deployed several navy vessels in an area, which the neighbouring country claims for itself, or for the Turkish Cypriot breakaway state.
Cyprus’ EEZ has been carved into 13 blocks, from which Texas-based Noble Energy has concession rights over Block 12, the Aphrodite field, where exploratory drilling began last Sunday evening.
During his speech to the UN General Assembly, Christofias gave assurances that any benefits from a gas find would be used for the good of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots regardless of whether a settlement had been reached, earning him a chorus of criticism in Cyprus.
His response is set to create more discord.
“Unfortunately this is our sorry state of affairs in Cyprus,” Christofias said. “I want to believe that at some point we will all be sensible and put our country above ourselves. We have suffered enough as a country; we have attempted suicide numerous times.”
Christofias added: “we may deserve better leaders, not excluding myself. I hope this country’s leadership will eventually rise to the occasion, which is not simple but difficult.”
Apart from Turkey, “we also have our bad self and we need to tackle both,” the president said.
