Turkey is interested in cooperation with Russia to develop gas fields off the coast of Cyprus, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told in an interview on the fields of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Cavusoglu noted that the European Union has begun to apply double standards with respect to the rights of Turkish Cypriots to the hydrocarbon reserves of the island.
“We have offered the EU to be an honest broker until this problem is solved. The EU is obliged to protect the rights and the Turkish Cypriots, not only the Greek Cypriots, but unfortunately they have shown double standards and hypocrisy. Particularly on the Cyprus issue, we have asked the EU and other actors to find a solution that would guarantee the rights of Turkish Cypriots to hydrocarbon reserves, which all sides, including the Greek Cypriots, categorically rejected”, – he said.
The Minister stressed that the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots should work together when developing the Cypriot deposits. But this is not happening yet, and the EU protects the interests of the Greek side, as Greece is a member of the EU.
“So with regard to unilateral actions such as drilling or exploitation or exploration, I think they should learn to share and work together. The Turkish side is ready for that. This is also what Presidents Erdogan and Putin discussed, and in the future, I think there is room for cooperation between Turkey and Russia”, – he added.