Cyprus - Statements by the Government Spokesman, 28 september 2011
The issue of the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus for the exploration and exploitation of its natural wealth is not a subject of negotiation, the Government Spokesman Mr Stefanos Stefanou said today.
In his statements at the Presidential Palace and invited to comment on the statements made by the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General Mr Alexander Downer on the issue, Mr Stefanou said: “Our position is clear. The issue of the exploration and exploitation of the natural wealth of the Republic of Cyprus is the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus and the legal Government of the Republic of Cyprus exercises it towards this direction. This issue is not a subject of negotiations. It is clear. It is a sovereign right”.
Invited to comment on the statement made by Mr Downer at noon that during his meeting today with the President of the Republic the issue of the statements he had made the previous day was not discussed, Mr Stefanou said: “The issues of the meetings of the President with Mr Downer, as well as with every person he meets, are topics of the meetings. Every time the President of the Republic wants to raise an issue with Mr Downer, and not only, he does so, always in the direction of serving and defending the interests of the Republic of Cyprus”.
Asked if Mr Downer went too far with his statements yesterday, Mr Stefanou said: “Everyone should be limited to his role. Mr Downer has a specific role to play, which is not an intermediary role, but a supportive role. This is the role of the UN Secretary-General whom he represents. The position of the Republic of Cyprus and the Government is very clear”.
Asked if the issue of natural gas has been discussed between President Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Dervis Eroglu after the summer holidays, Mr Stefanou said that the President of the Republic has made it clear that the issue of natural gas is not a matter of negotiation. There is no such issue to be discussed in the negotiations. The President of the Republic, whenever the issue of the natural gas is mentioned, he does not discuss the issue of the natural gas, a sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus at the negotiation table. He added that if a reference has been made, the President has made it clear that this is not an issue for the negotiations”.
He also said “I want to make clear, as we have boldly stated also yesterday, that the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus are not an issue of negotiation”.
Invited to comment on the statement by the EU Enlargement Commissioner Mr Stefan Fule yesterday by which he refers the issue to The Hague Court for the settlement of disputes, Mr Stefanou said: “This issue is not an issue of difference of the Republic of Cyprus with Turkey, it is an issue of difference, dispute and conflict between Turkey and the international law. Turkey violates the international law, threatens and provokes and the EU and the wider international community should turn to Turkey and ask it to terminate this behaviour that creates dangers in the area. At the same time, bringing its behaviour and policy in line with the international law, we can move forward with peace in this region. Beyond this, there is no disputing of the right of the Republic of Cyprus to continue the research. And to do this in the framework of the international law, we have delimited the EEZ with three countries and in this framework we are working”.
http://www.isria.com/pages/28_September_2011_289.php
i hope for their sake, in the north and above, there is an abundance of headgaskets...
