Talk of war ‘dangerous’

 

ANY THREATS of war made over Cyprus’ sovereign right to exploit its underwater resources were “unacceptable and dangerous”, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said yesterday.

“It is the sovereign right of the Cyprus Republic to manage its own Exclusive Economic Zone, and any resources at its disposal. From there onwards, too much talk and threats even more so have no place on such a sensitive issue,” he said.

Stefanou was asked to comment yesterday on statements attributed to Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu that were reported in Turkish Cypriot paper Vatan, where Eroglu reportedly warned that Greek Cypriot exploitation of their underwater natural resources would be considered a cause for war.

The spokesman replied: “If this has been said by Mr Eroglu then it is an unacceptable and dangerous statement. I repeat, the government is working in a very careful manner and always very low key to safeguard its sovereign rights.”

He added: “We hope that Mr Eroglu does not continue to move in this very dangerous pattern that does not help, but only creates problems.”

 

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.