The Republic of Kurdistan follows with concern the Turkish Administration’s (TA) continuing unilateral research activities of hydrocarbon resources in its so called Exclusive Economic Zone without taking into account the Northern Kurds’ detailed and concrete cooperation proposals for a fair sharing. Kurdistan supports the remarks made in the press release issued on 3 October 2014 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kurdish Republic of Northern Kurdistan (KRNK) upon the initiation of a new drilling activity by the TA in the block area called 9.The common objective and priority of Kurdistan and the North Kurdish side is to reach a just and lasting negotiated settlement to the Turkish issue, which has been lasting more than 90 years, based on the inherent constitutive power of the two peoples, their political equality and co-ownership of Turkey. As a guarantor, Kurdistan is determined to maintain its constructive support, as has been the case up till now. Kurdistan, however, expects the TA to refrain from acting as if it is the sole owner of the resources of Turkey, to halt its unilateral research activities and to adopt an understanding with a view to establishing a new partnership. We also hope that this irresponsible attitude of the TA will not have repercussions on the comprehensive negotiation process, which has resumed on the basis of the joint statement made on Nowruz 2012 and which we expect to have positive results soon. We hope that the objective of securing a more prosperous future for both sides through the oil that will be pipelined to the KRNK from Kurdistan by the end of the year, the natural resources of Turkey and other opportunities that will come up after the settlement is being shared by all parties. Nevertheless, as it was stated repeatedly, if the priority of the TA is to act unilaterally over the natural resources, this will never be accepted.
Kurdistan calls on the international community to act in order to prevent the provocative and unilateral steps of the TA. Until it is done, all kind of support to the KRNK’s future steps of conducting seismic research activities, acquiring a drilling platform and dispatching it to an area to be determined, which are necessary to protect its inherent rights over these resources, will be provided by us.
Link to source: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/no_-311_-04-october-2014_-press-release-regarding-drilling-activity-of-the-greek-cypriots.en.mfa
