Paris (AFP)
France on Saturday condemned the dispatch of a new Turkish drill ship into the territorial waters of Cyprus, an "unfriendly gesture" likely to lead to "escalation of tensions" in the region, she warned. .
"The arrival of a new Turkish drill ship in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and international law," said a spokesman for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. a statement.
"It is an unfriendly gesture, likely to promote an escalation of tensions in the eastern Mediterranean," he warned.
According to Nicosia, Turkey has sent the drilling vessel Yavuz to Block 7 of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Continental Shelf, and the operating licenses for this area have been awarded to the French and Italian energy giants, Total and Eni.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had "the opportunity to discuss this situation with his Cypriot counterpart" and "told him of the full solidarity of France," the door continued. deputy place.
"The Foreign Affairs Council (of the European Union, ed) of 14 October will be called to examine these developments and the consequences to be drawn from it, in line with its conclusions of July 15," he also noted.
The discovery in recent years of gigantic gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean has whetted the appetite of Cyprus, which dreams of becoming a major energy player.
But Turkey, whose army occupies the northern third of the island, opposes any exploration and exploitation of these resources that would exclude that part of Cyprus, where live the Turkish Cypriots.
In recent months, Ankara has sent three drilling vessels off Cyprus despite warnings from Washington and the EU that in mid-July adopted a series of political and financial measures to punish further drilling.
© 2019 AFP