TRNC Foreign Ministry on Eastern Mediterranean: Turkish Cypriots' rights cannot be ignored

The TRNC Foreign Ministry issued a statement on a French-flagged vessel that attempted unauthorised marine research for cable laying on Turkey's continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, on behalf of Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration (GCA). It backed the Turkish Foreign Ministry's statement of 6 November 2026.

The ministry said the cable project should proceed in coordination with all concerned parties, taking into account the rights and interests of Turkey and the TRNC. It stressed that the GCA cannot represent the island's Turkish Cypriot people, and that no project on the island's natural resources can proceed without their consent. Any initiative ignoring their rights is null.

The ministry noted that earlier cooperation calls and economic, feasible solutions proposed by the TRNC and Turkey have gone unanswered by the Greek Cypriot administration. Countries and international companies were urged to respect sensitivities in the region. The TRNC pledged to continue acting in solidarity with Turkey to protect Turkish Cypriots' rights.