President of the Republic Demetris Christofias has called on the UN and the EU to promote the implementation of his proposal on Famagusta.
The proposal provides for the opening of the closed off part of the town of Famagusta under UN aegis, which remains a ghost town since Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third part of Cyprus in 1974, the simultaneous opening of the Famagusta port under EU aegis and the opening of Turkey – EU accession chapters which have been frozen.
Addressing a Clergy and People’s Assembly organised by the Diocese of Constantia – Famagusta, President Christofias noted that “if our proposal is adopted, our beloved city of Famagusta will be finally saved”.
At the same time, he added, “in a completely different atmosphere between the two communities, a powerful dynamic will be formed as regards the solution of the Cyprus issue”.
“The aim we have set for achieving a just, viable and functional solution of the Cyprus issue remains firm”, he stressed.
Unfortunately, he added, “the key to the solution of the Cyprus issue is still in the hands of Ankara”.
The Cyprus President called on Turkey “to prove with deeds rather than words that it works towards the direction of a solution”.
Unfortunately, he noted, Turkish Cypriot behaviour so far during negotiations and Turkey’s constant threats send the message that Turkey is not interested in achieving any progress in the Cyprus issue.
President Christofias further denounced “Turkey’s provocative and aggressive behaviour and the promotion of the so called ‘plan B’ to upgrade the pseudostate”.
The only thing Turkish plans achieve is to keep the Cyprus issue unresolved and to victimize both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, the Cyprus people as a whole.
“We demand that Turkey ends its provocations and its threats against Cyprus and the EU itself”, he stressed. Threats, he added that are expressed under the pretext of the Republic of Cyprus taking over the EU Council presidency on July 1 and the exercise on its part of its sovereign right to proceed with exploration within the Republic’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
President Christofias expressed the Greek Cypriot sides’ readiness “to continue the dialogue on the basis of a process which has been agreed upon during the period when the Republic of Cyprus will be undertaking its duty as presidency of the EU Council”.
He further expressed his disagreement with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu’s and Ankara’s approach to deny dialogue and to ask for meetings at a technocratic committee level to take place.
Referring to the Clergy and People Assembly which was inaugurated two years ago, he praised its significance.
He also spoke of the important spiritual work the Diocese of Constantia – Famagusta undertakes as well as of the help it gives to people in need.
In December 2011, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias announced that the results of the exploratory drilling in Cyprus` block 12 were positive, describing the discovery of hydrocarbons as historic for the island.
US company Noble Energy, which carried out the drilling, discovered 310 feet of net natural gas pay. The drilling reached a depth of 19,225 feet in water depth of about 5,540 feet.
The initial data that emerged from the exploratory drilling and the evaluation checks carried out indicate the existence of a natural gas reservoir ranging from 5 to 8 trillion cubic feet (tcf) with a gross mean of 7 tcf.
Cyprus has also launched a second licensing round for the 12 remaining blocks of its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Turkey that aspires to become an EU member state does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state since May 2004.
Cyprus has been divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.
