Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that differences with Greece over the eastern Mediterranean can be resolved through dialogue and understanding, while Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that the exploration vessel "Aruj Reis" has not completed its mission in the Mediterranean. On the other hand, Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades said that His country is ready for dialogue with Ankara;
But "without blackmail or threats."
President Erdoan said in a meeting with the German Chancellor yesterday, via a closed-circuit television, that all differences can be resolved through understanding and dialogue in the event of a constructive approach based on the principle of preserving rights. The Eastern Mediterranean issue.
Turkey disputes with Cyprus and Greece sovereignty over areas in the eastern Mediterranean that may be rich in natural gas.
Tensions escalated between Ankara and Athens at the end of last month, when each conducted military exercises, and Turkey sent ships to explore for energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean region, and France announced its clear support for Greece by deploying warships and fighter planes in the region, in an initiative that was strongly criticized by Ankara.
Oruj Rees
In a
related context, said Turkish Foreign Minister said the
return of the
Turkish survey ship "Oruj Reis" for maintenance in the
port of
Antalya (southeast Turkey) "does not mean that its operations in the
Eastern Mediterranean region has ended," the
minister Davutoglu said in an
interview with Turkish television station The maintenance of "Aruj Reis" may take a few weeks, and the ship will continue its operations once the maintenance work is completed.
Last Sunday, the ship returned to waters near the port of Antalya, which Greece described as a positive first step to ease tension.
Two Turkish ships are operating in the eastern Mediterranean region in search of energy resources, the first "Oruj Reis", and operating near the Special Economic Zone of Egypt, and the second "Yavuz", operating in an area Cyprus says it has not been authorized to explore.
Cyprus' position
In return, the Cypriot president expressed his country's readiness for dialogue with Turkey to resolve differences.
But he is not under threat and blackmail, he said, and after his meeting with European Council President Charles Michel, the Cypriot president called on the European Union not to ignore the imposition of severe sanctions on Turkey to discourage it from what he called illegal exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.
The President of Cyprus (left), accompanied by the President of the European Council, discussed four days ago the tension with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean (Reuters)
The Cypriot official added that Turkey's decision to extend the operation of the Yavuz to next month comes at a time when the European Union is taking a series of initiatives aimed at easing tension.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview with the British magazine "The Economist" that he was extremely concerned about the step taken by Turkey to extend the ship's work, adding, "Turkey has a choice: either to communicate with Europe in a constructive way ... or to choose to continue." This kind of unilateral action and facing the consequences. "
The European Union is holding a summit on September 24 and 25 in Brussels to discuss the crisis in the eastern Mediterranean. European officials have previously hinted at imposing sanctions on Turkey, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned Turkey against any attempt to "intimidate" its neighbors in the dispute. About gas in the eastern Mediterranean.
Last Wednesday, the European Council President, during his visit to the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, expressed the Union’s commitment to defending the rights of Cyprus in its dispute with Turkey over the rights to explore for gas in the Mediterranean.