Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said at an event in the TRNC on Friday (17th May) that everyone should accept that Turkey and TRNC cannot be excluded from the energy equation in the region.
Oktay attended an Iftar program organized by the TRNC Red Crescent and Foundation Administration. In his speech, Oktay mentioned the Cyprus problem and said that the current status quo is unsustainable. “During the negotiation process, which has been continuing for half a century, we showed our goodwill but we could not reach a result due to the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriot side. Our aim is to provide political equality of the Turkish Cypriots and take under guarantee the legal rights and security of the Turkish Cypriots. I want to reiterate that we are ready to negotiate the solution models that protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots”.
Adding that the hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean have made the Island of Cyprus a center of attraction, Oktay stressed that the Greek Cypriot side showed by their unilateral steps that they are not willing to share the natural resources.
Furthermore, Oktay said, “We will not disregard the approach of the Greek Cypriot side which ignores the Turkish Cypriots”.
