Turkey’s powerful National Security Council has issued a thinly veiled threat toward Cyprus following a meeting that examined Turkey’s perceived rights in the Aegean and the rights of Turkish-Cypriots to a share of the gas and oil reserves in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The Council is chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
A statement released by the Council states that, “In response to efforts to harm the interests of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and of Turkey, our country will defend those rights by any means necessary”.
Yesterday, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said Ankara will not allow the creation of de facto situations through any [gas exploration] programme that it has not approved, and in which the Turkish-occupied part of the island does not have a share.
“We always said this. If there is oil, we will find it. We will conduct more exploration and drilling. Recently, we took important steps toward hydrocarbons exploration and the increase in their production,” Donmez said.
The Turkish energy minister said that in the coming months the exploration ship Fatih will start the first drilling in the Mediterranean.
Donmez said the ministry has also begun the process of procuring a second drill.
