Turkish Cypriots challenge Cyprus-Egypt gas agreement at the UN

Turkey, on behalf of the Turkish Cypriots, has sent a letter to the United Nations expressing disagreement with the agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and Egypt, signed on March 30, 2026, in Cairo during the EGYPES 2026 conference. The document concerns cooperation in the field of exploration and possible extraction of natural gas in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus.

The appeal claims that the agreement, according to the TRNC position, violates the "ancestral and inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people" to the island's natural resources. It emphasizes that Cyprus's hydrocarbons belong to both communities equally, and Turkish Cypriots possess "equal rights from the very beginning.".

According to the letter, any resource development without the consent of the Turkish Cypriots is considered a unilateral action. The agreement itself is characterized as "null and void and without legal effect" and is interpreted as an attempt to consolidate the factual control of one side over the resources.

At the same time, Turkish Cypriots reiterate their support for dialogue and the idea of joint management of natural resources. The letter also cites previous reports by the UN Secretary-General, which emphasize the need for cooperation between the island's communities.

The appeal concludes with a call to the international community to assist in creating an interaction mechanism on hydrocarbon issues in Cyprus, which, in the authors' view, should ensure joint and equal management of energy resources.