Greek Cypriots Set To Submit Eu Complaint Against Turkey

Greek Cypriots will attempt to block Turkey's ongoing progress in EU accession talks in response to Ankara's gas exploration activities in waters off the so-called exclusive Greek Cypriot economic zone.



The Greek Cypriot administration's National Council announced details of the measures they will take against Turkey in their Tuesday session.



The administration's spokesperson, Nicos Christodoulides, said that Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades could submit a formal complaint against Turkey to EU leaders next week, during a Council of Europe meeting, aimed at halting Turkey's full EU membership process.



The Greek Cypriot administration is a member of the EU and is internationally recognized by all nations except Turkey, which remains the only country that recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.



The official measures against Turkey include a formal complaint to the UN Division for Oceans and Law of the Sea, the International Maritime Organization and possibly the UN Security Council, Christodoulides said. 



Furthermore, Greek Cypriots will not give their approval to open new chapters in Turkey's EU accession talks.



Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will visit Greek Cyprus on November 7 to discuss this matter further.



Turkey sent a ship to explore natural resources on the island but Greek Cyprus claimed that by so doing, Ankara violated its sea borders. 



Meanwhile, Turkey asserted that the island's natural resources do not belong solely to the Greek Cypriots.



"Turkish Cypriots also have the right [to use them]. It is unacceptable that Greek Cypriots want to use them exclusively", Turkey's foreign ministry said.



Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot government have strongly opposed any unilateral move by the Greek Cypriot administration to explore hydrocarbon resources around the island, saying that its natural resources should be exploited in a fair manner under a united Cyprus.



The island of Cyprus has remained divided into Greek and Turkish parts since a Greek-Cypriot coup was followed by a Turkish peace mission to aid Turkish Cypriots in the north of the island in 1974.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Lefkoşa