All our efforts clash with the Turkish intolerance and impudence, President of the House of Representatives of Cyprus Yiannakis Omirou said, speaking at the Armenian National Assembly.
“As you know, it has been forty years that Turkey keeps occupied the major part of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, violating the norms and principles of the international law. The Cypriot side is adherent to reach the fair solution of the problem in accordance with the European law, the agreements reached in the high instances of 1977 and 1979 and the UN relevant resolutions. However, all our efforts clash with the Turkish intolerance and impudence. Turkey proposes conditions, which, undoubtedly, lead to a solution, on the basis of which is laid the principle of ‘two states,’” the Speaker said.
“Turkey, being adherent to the New Ottoman work style, tries to realize the rich reserves existing in the Offshore Economic Zone and has adopted the policy of violating self-sovereign rights in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, rights based on the traditional right and are guaranteed by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea concluded in 1982. But the manifestations of Turkey are not decent for the state honouring the international law and wishing to become a member of the European Union. At this moment the Turkish investigating Barbarous ship, accompanied with the military and assisting ships, illegally is in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, and as Turkey presents, its goal is the collection of seismic data. At the same time works are carried out by the organizations, which the Republic of Cyprus allows studying the availability of the natural gas reserves. Turkey does not hesitate and announces that in the nearest future it will install a mining platform in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus,” Mr. Omirou stated.
“Despite the fact that the steps of Turkey are internationally condemned, and as vivid evidence, recently, on November 13, the European Parliament adopted a distinct resolution, the violations being committed by Turkey are strengthened and the whole region is destabilized. At the same time the state and military figures of Cyprus directly threaten to use military force, if the Republic of Cyprus continues executing its self-sovereign rights,” the Speaker continued.
“In similar conditions the Republic of Cyprus was obliged to prevent its participation in the negotiations over the problem of Cyprus and announcing about undertaking political and legal steps against Turkey. I am sure you will agree that in the atmosphere of fear and the evident threat it will be illogical to continue the negotiations. These manifestations of Turkey are well known for you. The prevention of signing the protocols of cooperation, due to well-known reasons, at the last moment Ankara presents, serve as an expression of the same policy,” the Cyprus House Speaker added.
“Despite the complications caused by Ankara, Cyprus and Armenia should activate the bilateral relations, unite their forces in the international organizations and use the levers of Cypriot and Armenian Diaspora in the decision making instances, forming a common front against the policy of Turkey. In the name of the members of the House of Representatives and my name I express full readiness to work in that direction,” Yiannakis Omirou stated.
