Sun 16 August 2020:
Turkey will not hesitate to respond to slightest harassment of its energy exploration ship in Eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Saturday amid rising tension in the region over Greece’s controversial new maritime pact with Egypt.
Speaking at an opening ceremony in the eastern Black Sea province of Rize, the Turkish president said the Oruç Reis survey ship will continue energy exploration until Aug. 23, he added.
Erdoğan also warned that “those who forced Turkey out of its East Mediterranean energy resources 100 years ago” will not be able to stop the country to reclaim its rights.
“We will never bow to banditry on our continental shelf. We will not back down against the language of sanctions and threats,” the president said.
Tensions have been mounting in the region after Athens’ controversial new maritime pact with Egypt. Greek defense sources announced joint military drills Thursday in the Eastern Mediterranean along with France, which has sought to hem in Turkey’s maritime territory.
The agreement came a day before Turkey was scheduled to announce the postponement of its oil and gas exploration activities, which were already suspended for more than two weeks, according to previous remarks made by Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalın.
But, after declaring the Greek-Egyptian deal “null and void,” Turkey authorized the Oruç Reis to continue its activities in an area within the country’s continental shelf.
The ship will continue the two-week mission until Aug. 23 along with the ships Cengiz Han and Ataman.
Erdoğan said the only solution to the dispute was through dialogue and negotiation and urged Athens to respect Turkey’s rights.
Turkey has consistently opposed Greece’s efforts to declare an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) based on small islands near Turkish shores, violating the interests of Turkey, the country with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean.
