The President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, has officially asked Turkey to start direct talks with his country. The goal is to agree on the maritime borders between them. This request comes after Turkey recently criticised a new sea agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon.
Speaking at an event, President Christodoulides said that Cyprus always follows international sea law. He explained that his country is a member of the European Union and the United Nations. He said Cyprus is ready to use the same legal rules with Turkey that it has used with its other neighbours.
The President also talked about the peace process for the divided island. He said Cyprus is ready to restart UN-led talks to find a solution. He added that this will happen even when Cyprus leads the Council of the European Union soon.
At the same time, a Turkish Cypriot leader, Ziya Öztürkler, gave a strong response. He said the Greek Cypriot leadership’s statements do not match the reality on the island. He referred to the long-standing Turkish military presence and said the Turkish Cypriots see Turkey as their protector.
President Christodoulides also mentioned his recent meetings in Berlin with German leaders. He hopes Germany can help with discussions between the EU and Turkey. The Turkish Foreign Minister is soon visiting Germany, and Cyprus hopes to hear good news from those talks.
These events show that the issue of sea borders is very complicated. It is connected to the larger political problem of the island’s division. As countries look for energy in the region, solving these border issues is very important for peace and the economy.