ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th June, 2020) Turkey, by its actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, seeks to achieve geostrategic goals and become a dominant force in the region, Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said speaking at a discussion at the 5th Delphi Economic Forum being held online.
The minister called Turkey drilling in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone "an unpleasant scenario", noting that the sovereign rights of Cyprus, a member state of the European Union, were being violated.
"Turkey's actions are aimed at achieving geostrategic and not necessarily energy goals," Christodoulides said.
"A vacuum has been created in our region, and Turkey is trying to fill this vacuum in order to become the dominant force in the region. That is why, especially at the moment, the EU has a great opportunity to claim a leading role in the region, given that European countries and Brussels now better understand the aspirations of Turkey," the Cypriot minister said.
