Turkey warns Greek Cypriot regime over drilling

By Ilker Girit

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey on Friday warned the Greek Cypriot regime over its "unilateral hydrocarbon-related activities" in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying the unilateral actions are a "disregard of the inalienable rights on natural resources of the Turkish Cypriot people, the co-owners of the island."

The statement follows the arrival of a drilling vessel at block 6 of the "so-called" exclusive economic zone to start activities within the framework of the licenses issued by the Greek Cypriot Administration.

Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, minister of energy, commerce, industry and tourism under the Greek Cypriot regime, said Wednesday on Twitter that the drillship had arrived in the disputed area.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has described the situation as "unacceptable" as the Greek Cypriot side was acting as though it were "the sole owner" of the island.

The statement said Turkey is "determined to protect both its own rights and interests in its continental shelf and to continue its support to the Turkish Cypriot side."

In February 2016, the Greek Cypriot administration unilaterally decided to launch a licensing round for a number of blocks on the offshore island.

A consortium between Italy’s ENI and France’s Total won licensing for block 6, while ENI was solely awarded block 8 and a consortium comprising ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum was awarded block 10.

The Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.