Turkey blasts US statement on drilling in Mediterranean

ANKARA

Turkey has condemned Washington's recent statement on Ankara-led drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean continental shelf.

"Turkey has made its position explicitly clear regarding its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean since 2004," said a Foreign Ministry statement on Monday.

"Since then, we have brought to the attention of relevant countries and the international community that the Greek Cypriot Administration’s EEZ delimitation agreements with the countries in the region are not valid for Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots and one of these agreements violates Turkey’s continental shelf rights," the statement added.

Turkey has already announced to the international community and registered with the UN its continental shelf in the region, the statement reiterated.

"Delimitation agreements based on equitable principles in accordance with the international law have not yet been concluded among all relevant coastal states in the region."

Ankara said the attempts of third parties to act as an international court in determining maritime boundaries is "unacceptable".

"Given the fact that there is no valid maritime delimitation agreement in the region, the statement of the U.S. calling Turkey by expressing that there exist Greek Cypriot claims over the area is neither constructive nor compatible with international law."

The statement stressed that Turkey's drilling and seismic vessels would resolutely continue their activities in its continental shelf in the areas licensed by Turkish government to Turkish Petroleum in 2009 and 2012.

"Likewise, unless the Greek Cypriots include the Turkish Cypriots, as the equal partners of the island, into the decision making mechanisms regarding hydrocarbon resources or cease their unilateral hydrocarbon activities, Turkey will continue to protect the continental shelf rights of the Turkish Cypriots as well," the statement concluded.