Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz described the planned natural gas pipeline from Turkey to the occupied territories as a “historic project,” announcing that Ankara has made its decision and that concrete steps will begin to be taken in the near future.

According to reports from the occupied territories, speaking at a joint press conference with “Prime Minister” Ünal Ustel at the illegal “airport” in Tymbou, at the start of his one-day illegal visit, Mr. Yilmaz said that the memorandum for the installation of the pipeline would be signed later on Friday.

“The project that should mark today is, of course, the natural gas project,” he said, adding that energy is a critical factor for both economic development and citizens’ daily lives.

As he explained, the goal is to provide “higher-quality, uninterrupted, and cheaper energy,” while he compared the pipeline to the undersea water transfer project from Turkey. According to him, the energy project will also create an “unbreakable bond” between Turkey and the occupied territories.

The Turkish Vice President also reiterated Ankara’s position in favor of a two-state solution, saying that “the most realistic solution to the Cyprus problem lies in the existence of two states side by side.” He called for recognition of the sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots, as well as an end to what he termed their “isolation.”

Referring to the European Parliament’s resolution on the impact of the 1974 Turkish invasion on the women and girls of Cyprus, Mr. Yilmaz said that Turkey does not recognize it and considers it “baseless.”

He claimed that the European Parliament “has been turned into a propaganda tool for the Greek Cypriot side,” while referring to the Turkish invasion as a so-called “peacekeeping operation,” arguing that it brought security to both communities. He also linked the decision to relations between the Republic of Cyprus and Israel, calling on the European Parliament to focus on developments in Gaza.

Mr. Yilmaz also announced that a firefighting helicopter would be stationed in the occupied territories during the summer, noting that climate change has increased the risk of wildfires in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Unal Ustel described the natural gas memorandum of understanding as a “historic turning point,” arguing that it will reduce the cost of electricity generation and strengthen energy security and the competitiveness of the occupied territories’ economy.

Source: CNA