NORWEGIAN research teams exploring for hydrocarbons off the island’s south coast will complete their work within the next few days, President Demetris Christofias said yesterday.
Christofias, speaking at a news conference at the close of his Athens visit, made it clear that the intimidation by Turkish navy vessels would not stop the exploration.
On November 13 a Turkish warship threatened the two Panamanian-flagged vessels crewed by the Norwegian research teams, forcing them to retreat into Cyprus` territorial waters “in fear of their lives”, an official protest to the UN said.
The incident took place 27 nautical miles south-west of the Paphos coast, within Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A second incident happened last Monday but there have been no further reports of harassment since then.
“The exploration within Cyprus1 EEZ continues and will be compoleted within the next few days,” said Christofias.
“The Republic of Cyprus has a sovereign right under the Treaty on the Law of the Sea to hold surveys in its EEZ,” he added.
When he was asked whether Greece and Cyprus had discussed the possibility that the two governments might consider an EU veto on Turkey’s accession course over the issue, Christofias said it was too early to talk about such things.
“Our goal is not to prevent Turkey joining the European Union. Our goal is if Turkey really wants to join the EU it should seize on this desire and change its policies to become more flexible and agree on a solution and agree to a solution of the Cyprus issue in which Cypriots can be masters of their homeland,” he said.
“Our objective is not to seek revenge against Turkey, but to persuade and urge Turkey with the international community to realise that it is not possible to aspire to join the European Union and at the same time to continue to violate international law, and to violate the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of a member state of the United Nations and above all a member states of the European Union.”
Christofias returned to Cyprus later last night. On arrival at Larnaca airport he expressed his satisfaction with his contacts in Greece.
