“The drilling is continuing as normal and as scheduled and I will refrain from giving any further details,” said Lakkptrypis to reporters in Sotira in the Famagusta district on Sunday.

“The data coming from the rig will be decisive in determining if we have a positive or negative result. Naturally, we are hoping for a positive result,” he added.

Lakkotrypis also confirmed the government’s evolving energy policy, put into effect four years ago, is aimed at developing relations with other countries in the region and further afield, such as the US on matters of energy.

“With meetings on a bilateral, trilateral and quadrilateral level we are building on our relationships with Israel and Lebanon and more recently with Egypt and Jordan and of course with long standing support from Greece,” said Lakkotrypis.

“We don’t want to militarise our energy plans,” said the Minister not wanting to expand on the subject of French warships near the drill site where the West Capella is drilling an exploratory well on behalf of French energy giant TOTAL and Italy’s ENI in block 11 of Cyprus’ EEZ.

“The best reply to Turkish provocations is to continue unabated with our energy plans,” he added.

Source: InCyprus