First of all, we share and support the views expressed in the statements made by the TRNC authorities today regarding the said agreement.

The agreement is a concrete example of the Greek Cypriots' continuation of the violation of the rights of the Turkish Cypriots who have equal rights on the natural resources of the Island. It is understood that the agreement does not make any reference to the Turkish Cypriots and that the Turkish Cypriots are not given any share from the revenues. This is unacceptable for both Turkey and the TRNC.

Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus and those international companies doing business with this Administration cannot ignore the fact that Turkish Cypriots are co-owners of the Island and that they have equal rights on the oil and gas resources of the Island.

Therefore, Turkey will maintain its principled and resolute stance to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, as well as its own rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, and will not hesitate to take the necessary steps for this purpose. Indeed, as President Erdoğan has stated today, Turkey will not let anyone violate the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.

In this context, as long as the Greek Cypriot side does not cease its unilateral hydrocarbon activities or fails to include the Turkish Cypriots -as an equal owner of the Island- in decision making mechanisms and revenue sharing, Turkey will continue to protect the continental shelf rights of the Turkish Cypriots. To this end, our drilling vessels, Yavuz and Fatih, will commence drilling activities in the near future, in the areas where TRNC granted licenses to the Turkish Petroleum in 2011.

On this occasion, we would like to once again remind the international community that the Greek Cypriot Administration is the party who does not hesitate to irresponsibly risk the security and stability of the Eastern Mediterranean by disregarding the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriots who are the co-owners of the Island, rejecting all cooperation proposals and continuing unilateral activities despite all our warnings.