Turkey will not withdraw its ships from the Eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday, in the aftermath of the outcry over the recent agreement with Libya on the maritime boundaries of the two countries.
The ships he was referring to are two drillships and two seismic survey vessels currently exploring for hydrocarbons inside and close to Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“The ships will continue to perform their duties,” Erdogan said. “Turkey will not let others crush its and Turkish Cypriots’ interests,” he said.
The Turkish president further said that the agreement with Libya’s internationally recognised government will have to go through the Turkish parliament and then it will be put into effect.
The content of Erdogan’s Memorandum of Understanding with the divided country’s Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj is not made public, but it allegedly includes the delineation of the two countries’ maritime borders, disregarding those of Greece and Cyprus. More importantly, though, it omits the fact that Libya and Turkey do not share sea borders.
Greek delegation leaves energy event protesting Erdogan’s provocation
The Greek delegation headed by Deputy Environment and Energy Minister Dimitris Economou left the inauguration ceremony of the TANAP pipeline in Ipsala in protest of Erdogan’s provocative statements.
More specifically, the Greek delegation was invited to Adrianople (Edirne) to celebrate the connection of the TANAP pipeline, which will transport gas from Azerbaijan to Europe via Turkey.
