'Turkey to use its rights on Aegean, Cyprus issues'

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is determined to use its rights based on international law on disputes over Aegean Sea and Cyprus, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.

Speaking to his party's parliamentary group, Erdogan said on the Mediterranean issue that reckless behavior of Greece and Southern Cyprus, with backing of some European states, would threaten them foremost.

"Turkey is determined to use its rights arising from international law in full on disputes over Aegean Sea, Cyprus issue," said Erdogan.

He added: "Turkey will never compromise its interests, neither in Eastern Mediterranean nor in other regions."

He said Ankara will not allow irrelevant countries to gain economic and political dominance in eastern Mediterranean.

On Monday, Turkey started preparatory works for shallow water drilling in the Mediterranean sea off the coast of Mersin in southern Turkey.

On Oct. 30, Turkey's first drilling vessel, Fatih, conducted its first deep drilling in offshore Antalya on the county's southern Mediterranean coast.

Erdogan reiterated his call for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine over a dispute in the Sea of Azov.

"We want Black Sea to become a peace sea," said Erdogan.

He expressed Turkey's desire to see Russia and Ukraine cooperate amid serious threats in the world

Russia on Sunday seized three Ukrainian naval ships off Russian-held Crimea in the Sea of Azov.

Russia said the vessels had ignored calls to stop sparking military action.

Russia and Ukraine have been at loggerheads since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea after a controversial referendum.

Turkey, as well as the UN General Assembly, say the annexation was illegal.

Ukraine has also blamed Russia for separatist violence in eastern Ukraine, near the border with Russia.