Asia

Home page

Asia

Turkey will not stop defending rights in Eastern Mediterranean, Foreign Ministry says

12 November 2019 06:31 (UTC +04:00)

Turkey on Monday reiterated a vow to defend its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, as a response to the European Union's plans for restrictive measures against Ankara, APA reports citing Daily Sabah

"Turkey will not give up to defend its rights under international law in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the interests of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [TRNC] despite all of the inconsiderate steps of the EU," the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.

On Monday, the EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted a framework for restrictive measures against Turkey over its drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"It is a futile expectation to hope that our country will step back from its rights on the Eastern Mediterranean by yielding to the threats," the ministry stressed.

"Nobody should doubt that Turkey will continue search and drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean," it added.

Turkey has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration's unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus also has rights to the resources in the area. The unilaterally declared that the boundaries of the Exclusive Economic Zone that the Greek Cypriot administration claims to control violates part of Turkey's continental shelf, particularly in Blocks 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7.