BRUSSELS/ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2020) The European Union and Cyprus condemned on Sunday a new Turkish drilling operation in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying it was fueling insecurity in the region.
Earlier in the day, Turkey announced it was sending a drill ship with a military escort to the waters off the southwestern coast of Cyprus to conduct what it called a seismological research from August 18 until September 15. The ship, Yavuz, had drilled for hydrocarbons in the area in February.
"Today's announcement by Turkey of renewed drilling activities by the Yavuz vessel in a maritime zone which has been delineated by Cyprus and Egypt regrettably fuels further tensions and insecurity in the Eastern Mediterranean," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
He called on Turkey to end drilling immediately, warning that its actions ran counter to efforts to resume dialogue with Greece and Cyprus, which lay rival claims for resources-rich parts of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Cyprus issued a warning via international maritime safety service Navtex, saying that Turkish activities in its exclusive economic zone and on the continental shelf were "unauthorized and illegal." It said the drilling was punishable under the Cypriot criminal code.
