Ireland continues to fully support the aim to find a solution to the Cyprus issue that provides for a comprehensive settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Ireland believes that a successful resolution would have a positive impact on the whole region and most significantly, it would benefit both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
In this context, I was disappointed to see the heightening of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean surrounding the charting of potential hydrocarbon deposits in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone. In response to Turkey's stated intention to search for oil and gas in this area, the President of Cyprus announced the suspension of talks on reunifying the divided island on 7 October. Talks to promote peace and unification on the island had reconvened on 17 September and are facilitated by the Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary General, Espen Barth Eide. The Government is on record as welcoming these talks, believing that they offer the prospect of injecting fresh momentum into the process.
It is with particular regret, therefore, that we see their suspension and we fully support the view of the UN that both parties should resume contact and avoid getting drawn into the wider regional conflicts.
The EU, including at the European Council last month, has called on Turkey to exercise restraint and to respect Cyprus' sovereign rights over its Exclusive Economic Zone. This was reiterated by the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, as recently as 13 November at the European Parliament. I fully endorse that call.
While I have not yet had the opportunity to discuss the issue in detail directly with my Cypriot colleague, the issue has been discussed at the European Council last month, and my officials are engaged in on-going dialogue with representatives of the Cypriot Government, including through our respective Embassies. In addition, Ireland's views have been communicated to Turkey during our most recent bilateral political consultations at senior official level, which were held in Dublin last week.
Ireland remains supportive of all efforts to assist in the search for a mutually acceptable settlement to this long-standing problem.
