Erdogan Warns Greece, Cyprus Over Gas Search, Aegean Islets

Date: 13 February 2018 - 20:50

News ID: ۵۰۰۴۸

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a warning Tuesday to neighboring Greece, Cyprus and international companies exploring for gas in the eastern Mediterranean not to "step out of line" and encroach on Turkey's rights.
Meanwhile, Greek authorities said a Turkish coast guard vessel rammed a Greek coast guard boat off a couple of uninhabited islets in the Aegean Sea over which the two NATO allies nearly went to war in 1996. There were no injuries.
Erdogan made the warning in an address to legislators of his ruling party as Turkish warships continued to impede a rig from reaching a location off of Cyprus where Italian energy company Eni is scheduled to drill for gas.
"We recommend that foreign companies don't allow themselves to be an instrument of issues that surpass their limits and strength, by trusting the Greek Cypriot side," he said. "Their show of strength lasts only until they see our ships and our planes."
Turkey opposes the drilling, which it says disregards the rights of breakaway Turkish Cypriots. It also claims as its own part of the area Cyprus has designated for exploratory drilling.
The Cypriot government says it has a sovereign right to drill, and that if the search is successful, any income would be shared equitably if the island is reunified.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades refrained from direct comment on Erdogan's statements, but said Turkish naval activity should cause no public alarm.
European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said EU authorities are monitoring the incident in the Agean closely.
********Turkey's President and leader of ruling Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the members of his ruling party at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018.