President Tayyip Erdogan speaks at the ceremony hosted in a shipyard in Istanbul, Turkey 4 04 November 2018. Kayhan Ozer/Presidential Press....
Turkey will not allow the exploitation of gas reserves in Turkish Northern Cypriot water, on the island that situated in the eastern Mediterranean sea. President Tayyip Erdogan said this on Sunday. The Mediterranean sea especially on the eastern side next to the island believed to be rich in natural gas, and attempts to tap resources there have revived tensions between Turkey and Greece, which has a defense protection pact, while some international members only recognized the Greek Cypriot government in the south. Turkey and Greek Cypriot state have both overlapping claims of marine jurisdiction and all plan to carry out exploratory drills possible this year. Ankara only has diplomatic relations with a breakaway side, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (T.R.N.C) in the north of the island that is not recognized by some members of European Union.Speaking at a ceremony to mark the delivery of a naval corvette and submarine, Erdogan said countries that thought they could operate in the eastern Mediterranean or Aegean seas without Ankara’s agreement were mistaken. “We will not accept attempts to extract natural resources in our country, Cyprus or in the eastern Mediterranean,” Erdogan said. Last month Turkey complained that a Greek frigate had harassed a Turkish exploration ship west of Cyprus. Greece denied the charge and Cyprus accused Turkey of stirring up tensions.
The Northern Cyprus, which is supported by Ankara, says any offshore wealth also belongs to its citizens, as partners in the establishment of the Cyprus Republic in 1960. The island was split in 1974 after a Turkish invasion triggered by a Greek-inspired political coup and discriminative segregation against the Turkish Cypriots and nationals.