TRNC to start drilling in eastern Mediterranean soon

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) drilling for hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean is to commence as soon as coordinates for the drilling zone are determined, TRNC Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun announced following the departure of the seismic research ship carrying out the exploration activities on Friday. "In line with the [continental shelf delineation] agreement with Turkey, the TRNC will soon start its own exploration and drilling activities," Ozgurgun was quoted by the Cihan news agency as saying yesterday. Noting that the attitude of Greek Cypriots would have an impact on the negotiation process between the two sides for reunification on the island, Ozgurgun interpreted the Greek side's drilling as a clear sign, revealing a deliberate attempt, "To drag, postpone or disrupt the process on the table." The foreign minister expressed a belief that the reason for the co-existing sides of the island to fail at reaching an agreement on various issues stemmed from a perception held by the Greek Cypriots that the Turks of the island constitute a mere minority, and not equals.