Barbaros resumes seismic survey inside Cypriot EEZ

Turkey issued a new navigational warning on Tuesday for seismic surveys inside Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.

A similar action in October prompted President Nicos Anastasiades to pull out of reunification talks.

In the warning, or NAVTEX, posted on Turkey’s Office of Navigation, Hydrography, and Oceanography, Ankara said it will conduct seismic surveys inside the island’s EEZ between January 6 and April 6.

The surveys will be carried out by Barbaros, which had been berthed in Famagusta.

On Monday, Anastasiades said it was impossible for him to participate in reunification talks as long as Turkey violated the Republic’s sovereignty.

The President reiterated that the management of the country’s natural resources rests with the internationally recognised government in Cyprus, acting on behalf of all the island’s legal citizens.

“Consequently, actions that question the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, on the pretext of protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, are not only incommensurate with international law, but are also groundless.”

In order for Turkish Cypriots to be involved in the management and exploitation of the island’s natural resources, added Anastasiades, the Cyprus problem needed to be solved first.
In October, Anastasiades walked out of already-faltering peace talks, after Turkey issued a NAVTEX by which it reserved a large swathe of Cyprus’ EEZ for seismic research.

Although the Turkish operations are taking place within international waters, any activity by foreign nations beneath the water surface (such as surveys, depth soundings and data gathering) inside Cyprus’ EEZ is prohibited.

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