The Cyprus government has protested to the UN the granting of exploration licences to the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) by Turkey in sea areas in the Eastern Mediterranean, some of which fall either partly or wholly within the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus.
Cyprus Permanent Representative to the UN Nicholas Emiliou submitted on June 15 a document to the UN with regard to the position of the Republic of Cyprus, on Turkey’s stance. The document and a letter by Emiliou to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon circulated officially as a document of the General Assembly as an agenda item of “Oceans and the Law of the Sea”
In the annex to the letter, it is noted that the granting of hydrocarbon exploration licences by the government of Turkey to TPAO is the concrete expression of unreasonable claims by Ankara with respect to its maritime boundaries with the Republic of Cyprus, a violation of international law and a purported exercise of rights vested in Cyprus.
“The said actions by Turkey are in absolute defiance of the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus in its EEZ and over its continental shelf, as these are enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the relevant customary international law, and Cypriot domestic law. Hence, the granting of hydrocarbon exploration licences by Turkey to the TPAO in the said sea areas is without legal effect and does not prejudice these rights in any way,” it is underlined.
It is recalled that based on the proclamation of the EEZ and the relevant delimitation agreements signed with three of its neighbouring countries, the Republic of
Cyprus exercises exclusive sovereign rights and jurisdiction in relation to areas beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea for the purposes set out in article 56 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (which also reflects customary international law).
In addition, the Republic of Cyprus has, as a matter of international law, inherent and exclusive sovereign rights over the continental shelf covering the same area, which it exercises in conformity with article 77 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. In particular, in relation to hydrocarbon resources, the Republic of Cyprus has exclusive sovereign rights, inter alia, for the purpose of exploration and exploitation in its proclaimed EEZ and over its continental shelf.
Turkey has neither proclaimed an EEZ nor has it concluded any agreements delimitating its EEZ or continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean. In particular, Turkey has not even pursued an agreement on the delimitation of its maritime boundaries with Cyprus.
On the contrary, Turkey performs unilateral actions in respect of sea areas that are patently beyond any reasonable geographical limits of its own continental shelf and potential EEZ and clearly falling within the EEZ and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus, it is noted in the annex.
Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus’ northern third since they invaded the country in 1974, does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus. It maintains a self-proclaimed regime in northern Turkish occupied Cyprus, which the UN has branded legally invalid and called on all states not to recognise or facilitate it.