“No country or int’l institution has right to comment Turkey’s drilling activities in Eastern Mediterranean”

 

Foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu made a speech at a news conference in Ankara.

Turkey’s foreign minister reiterated Wednesday that Turkey is determined to protect Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“Either the wealth is fairly shared, a common solution is found, or Turkey will continue to defend Turkish Cypriots’ rights,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told.

Underlining that Turkey will keep on its drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cavusoglu said: “No country or international institution has the right to comment on this issue.”

“[Those] other than the guarantor countries have no right to speak on this issue. They shouldn’t take sides,” Cavusoglu stressed.

The Turkish-flagged drill ship Fatih launched offshore drilling operations this May in an area 75 kilometers (42 nautical miles) off the western coast of the island of Cyprus.

Cavusoglu added: “Turkey’s second drill ship Yavuz has been deployed in the region to launch operation.

Athens and the Greek Cypriot administration have opposed the move, threatening to arrest the ships’ crews and enlisting European Union leaders to join their criticism.

Turkey has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration’s unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus also has rights to the resources in the area. 

Turkey’s top diplomat also voiced hope that the new government in Greece will help Turkey to maintain more constructive relations with Greece on the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

Cavusoglu underscored that Turkey wants to resolve the disputes with Greece in the Aegean, instead of escalating tensions.

On the EU stance about the issue, Cavusoglu said: “If EU continues to take wrong steps on the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus issue for the sake of solidarity, we cannot solve this issue.”

He urged that the solidarity should be based on the EU standards, criticizing the bloc’s pro-Greek attitude.