Burak Bir,Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı
03 June 2020•Update: 03 June 2020
ANKARA
Turkey's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday that the country is determined to "protect the rights of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean."
In a statement, Hami Aksoy said Turkish Petroleum Corporation's recent application for a permit for additional oil exploration and drilling activities in the East Mediterranean is within the boundaries of the UN's continental shelf for Turkey.
Underlining that Turkey "will resolutely continue to exercise its sovereign rights in this area," Aksoy said the country's "seismic research and drilling activities are carried out according to the previously determined program."
Aksoy's remarks came shortly after Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias claimed that Turkey was deploying "illegal" means in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Moreover, Turkey’s Ambassador to Greece Burak Ozugergin said Tuesday that Ankara's call for dialogue with Athens has gone unanswered.
According to diplomatic sources, Ozugergin attended a meeting at the Greek Foreign Ministry and said Turkey's position is known and transparent on various issues including hydrocarbon exploration and extraction.
Turkey has several times sought dialogue with Greece on these issues, but Athens has failed to make any response, he added.
Maps shared on Twitter
Following Aksoy’s statement, another Turkish diplomat shared a map on Twitter of areas in the Eastern Mediterranean in connection with Turkish Petroleum’s recent request for new offshore survey and exploitation licenses.
Cagatay Erciyes, a senior Turkish Foreign Ministry official, also shared a map of the country's continental shelf and the borders of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean that were declared to the UN.
In 1974, following a coup aiming at Cyprus’ annexation by Greece, Ankara had to intervene as a guarantor power. In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was founded.
The decades since have seen several attempts to resolve the Cyprus dispute, all ending in failure. The latest one, held with the participation of the guarantor countries – Turkey, Greece and the UK – ended in 2017 in Switzerland.
Turkey has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration’s unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) also has rights to the resources in the area.
Since last year, Ankara has sent drilling vessels to the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting the right of Turkey and the TRNC to the resources of the region.
Athens and Greek Cypriots have opposed the move, threatening to arrest the ships’ crews and enlisting European Union leaders to join their criticism.
