Pompeo in Cyprus, Calls for Resolving Mediterranean Tensions

During a visit paid by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Cyprus,  Turkey was urged to stop its hostile activities in the eastern Mediterranean.

In statements following a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said that Turkey must end the provocative, illegal and aggressive actions in the eastern Mediterranean economic zone.

“I informed the State Secretary of our readiness for the delimitation of our maritime zones north and west of Cyprus with Turkey, either through bilateral negotiations or by recourse to the International Court of Justice,” the president added.

The president also briefed Pompeo on the situation in Varosha and the developments on the Cyprus issue.

“As we have discussed, these unlawful activities, despite repeated calls on Ankara to refrain from provocative actions, should be immediately terminated,” the president said.

He expressed his deep appreciation to the US government for its firm stance on condemning Turkey’s illegal drillings in Cyprus’ EEZ in full support to the unhindered exercise by Cyprus of its sovereign rights to explore and exploit its natural resources.

“I also conveyed our full support to the US position that any disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean should be resolved through dialogue and not by gun-boat diplomacy,” the president said.

He indicated that he discussed with the US Secretary of State the decision to lift the arms embargo on his country, which was taken by the US administration at the beginning of this September.

Earlier, Pompeo arrived at the presidential palace in Nicosia for a meeting with President  and Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides who greeted him at the entrance.

On his part, Pompeo considered that tensions in the region would not bring solutions to the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean.

He explained that US President Donald Trump had spoken to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis about the increased tensions in the region.

“Countries in the region need to resolve disagreements including security and energy resource and maritime issues diplomatically and peacefully,” Pompeo said. “Increased military tensions help no one but adversaries who would like to see pision in transatlantic unity.”

“Cooperation in security is becoming more important in the area. The Eastern Mediterranean has the ability to bring together many countries and create new markets through energy. The energy resources will be shared between both the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,” he added.

Mean while, Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said: "it was wrong of Secretary of State Pompeo to not meet" with him during his visit to Cyprus.