Turkey's agreement with Libya on receiving the Mediterranean waters that Greece considers part of its exclusive economic zone is retaliation to Greek, Cypriot and Israeli actions in the region, which were taken without considering Ankara's interest, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, adding that Turkey would continue to explore the seabed of the Eastern Mediterranean in search for hydrocarbon reserves
ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2020) Turkey's agreement with Libya on receiving the Mediterranean waters that Greece considers part of its exclusive economic zone is retaliation to Greek, Cypriot and Israeli actions in the region, which were taken without considering Ankara's interest, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, adding that Turkey would continue to explore the seabed of the Eastern Mediterranean in search for hydrocarbon reserves.
As Turkey's Oruc Reis research vessel began drilling in Greek-claimed waters in the Mediterranean in mid-August, Greece mobilized its armed forces to high alert and vowed to protect its sovereign rights by all necessary means, including militarily.
"Greece and Cyprus signed agreements with Israel [on the EastMed gas pipeline project], in which they ignored our interests. But when we signed an agreement with Libya, there were immediate accusations. Our activities in the Eastern Mediterranean are a response to the front that lined up against us. Why are they ignoring Turkey and creating tensions that nobody benefits from instead of sharing the sea and winning?" Cavusoglu said on the NTV broadcaster's television channel.
The top diplomat added that two of Turkey's drillships, Yavuz and Barbaros, were carrying on with their missions, while the Oruc Reis vessel went under maintenance.
Cavusoglu went on to say that the European Union was unlikely to impose sanctions on Turkey over the maritime dispute.
"France, Greece and the Greek Cypriots want sanctions. The [EU] bloc may make a decision on Sept. 24-25 to impose sanctions, which I do not expect, but could also take place. Similar things have happened in the past," the foreign minister said, as cited by the Turkish Daily Sabah newspaper.
In late November 2019, Libya's Government of National Accord signed with Turkey the memorandum of understanding on military cooperation and a new maritime border in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Under the deal, Ankara is to appropriate a lion's portion of waters between Turkey and Libya in the Mediterranean, claimed also by Greece and Cyprus.
