President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, called on the Turkish government to sit down with the Republic of Cyprus at the same table, to agree on maritime borders.

The President was asked on Thursday by the press,  to comment on statements made by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürman, following the signing on Wednesday of an Exclusive Economic Zone delimitation agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon.

He stressed that the Republic of Cyprus is a member of the United Nations and the European Union and, on the basis of international law and good neighbourly relations, as well as on the basis of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea, is proceeding with agreements with neighbouring states.

President Christodoulides said that his response to what is said by Ankara is to publicly state the readiness of the Republic of Cyprus to sit down at the same table with Turkey, to agree on maritime borders, on the basis of the Law of the Sea.

He stressed that if the Turkish side is so certain and confident about its positions,  it could just sit down with the Republic of Cyprus to discuss and determine maritime borders, “as we did with neighbouring states and as we will continue to do”.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.