After the US urged Turkey to reconsider its decision to start offshore drilling operations in Cyprus in a statement, Turkey said that the US statement on Turkey’s drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean is “detached from the facts.”
In a statement on Monday, Turkish Foreign Ministry said “our drilling and seismic vessels exploration activities will continue in the license areas in our continental shelf which our government has provided to TP in 2009 and 2012,” according to the Hurriat Daily News.
“Likewise, Turkey will continue to protect the continental shelf rights of Turkish Cypriots as long as the Greek Cypriot does not include its equal partner of the island Turkish Cypriots in the decision-making process for hydrocarbon resources or unless it ends unilateral hydrocarbon activities,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry added in its statement.
According to Anadolu news agency, Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the US Department State said in a statement on Sunday that Turkey's intention "is highly provocative and risks raising tensions in the region,” urging "Turkish authorities to halt these operations and encourage all parties to act with restraint.”
KI