The Chairman of the House of Foreign Affairs Committee of the American Parliament, Edward Royce and the Member of the Commission, Eliot Engel expressed in a letter to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, their position that the Turkish occupation of Cyprus should end.

In their letter, Royce and Engel also express their strong support for President Anastasiades’ efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem and recognize the right of the Republic of Cyprus to use natural resources within its EEZ, stating in particular that neither Turkey nor any other country should to challenge this right.

“Conflicts and turmoil are a long history in the Eastern Mediterranean, but the recent discovery of gas can lead to greater cooperation. With Cyprus, Greece and Israel working together, these resources promote economic growth in Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish intervention should not undermine this goal”.

They are concerned that Turkish efforts to challenge Cyprus’s ability to fully develop its natural resources within the EEZ only undermine these negotiations.

In the letter dated August 16, 2017, the two American MPs also strongly support the close relations of the Republic of Cyprus and the US and appreciate “your firm commitment to the strong relations between the United States and Cyprus and we are looking forward to working with you on a number of other issues”.