The United States recognizes the right of Cyprus to develop the resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone, and discourages any actions or rhetoric that increase tensions in the region, a State Department official has said.
The official did not comment directly on Turkish threats regarding the arrival of a research vessel belonging to US company ExxonMobil in the region.
In a statement, the official said “the US policy on Cyprus’ EEZ is longstanding and has not changed: the United States recognizes the right of the Republic of Cyprus to develop its resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone.
At the same time, the State Department spokesman reiterated the consistent American position that “the natural resources of the Republic of Cyprus should be shared fairly between the two communities.”
The US spokesman forgot (?) to stress that the fair share is valid once a solution in the decades-long problem of the illegal occupation of the North is found.
PS in this sense, if Turkey will threaten Exxon Mobile ships surveying hydrocarbon in the Cyprus EEZ and the US Sixth Fleet happens to be in the area, the warships will enforce a solution on Cyprus? #sarcasm
