The British High Commission has expressed concern about the tensions in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and urged everyone to support UN Special Envoy Espen Barth Eide so that peace talks can resume quickly.
“We are concerned by the continued tensions in the Republic of Cyprus’ EEZ and encourage all concerned to give active support to the work of the Special Adviser to the Secretary General, Mr Eide so that settlement talks can resume quickly, and proceed successfully” a spokesperson of the British High Commission in Cyprus said.
The High Commission was invited by the Cyprus News Agency to comment on recent developments in efforts to resume the UN-led peace talks and Turkey`s decision to extend the NAVTEX notification it issued for exploration by the seismic vessel Barbaros in Cyprus’ territorial waters.
“We regret that recent incidents, such as Turkey’s latest NAVTEX, have risked raising tensions. We call on all parties to avoid inflammatory actions or statements” the Spokesperson said.
“We recognise the Republic of Cyprus’ sovereign rights to exploit mineral reserves in its EEZ, and it remains our position that such resources should be exploited for the benefit of all the communities in Cyprus” the statement added.
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has suspended his participation in UN-led settlement talks following a Navigational Telex or NAVTEX, issued by Turkey, whose seismic research vessel Barbaros violated the Republic’s exclusive economic zone.
Repeated calls for its withdrawal went unheeded by Ankara, which announced on Tuesday the NAVTEX`s extension until April 6.
Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus’ northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, in spite of numerous calls by the EU, which Ankara aspires to join, to do so and normalize relations with Nicosia.
