Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Turkish ship begins oil exploration off Cyprus

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey is using its navy and air force to escort a ship conducting oil and gas exploration off Cyprus, an official said Tuesday, in the latest development in a disagreement over the ownership of the disputed island nation’s natural resources.

Cyprus is divided into the Republic of Cyprus, in the south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north which is recognised only by Turkey. The Cypriot government began exploratory drilling for oil and gas last week, prompting strong protests from Turkey, which alone doesn’t recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.

In response, Turkey signed an oil and gas exploration deal with the illegal government of the occupied north and sent a Turkish research ship to the Mediterranean to start exploration.

“We will try all channels of peace, but we will also protect our country’s interests until the end,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said Tuesday at an unrelated ceremony to mark the delivery of the first Turkish-made corvette warship to the navy.............

http://www.defencegreece.com/index.php/2011/09/turkish-ship-begins-oil-exploration-off-cyprus/


No comments: