'EU summit didn’t garner response expected by some countries'

ISTANBUL

An EU leaders' summit held in Brussels did not garner the response expected by some countries, said the Turkish president on Friday.

"European Union member states owe Turkey many rights," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters following Friday prayers in the Turkish metropolitan city of Istanbul.

Erdogan said Turkey’s positive attitude towards all developments in the Eastern Mediterranean let down some countries.

The two-day EU leaders' summit which started Thursday comes amid high tensions in the eastern Mediterranean over oil and gas drilling rights.

The summit also signaled that the EU may increase pressure on Ankara in the coming weeks, by including additional individuals from Turkey’s energy sector to a sanctions regime, which was created in November 2019.

Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, has rejected maritime boundary claims of Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, and stressed that these excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Ankara has sent several drill ships in recent months to explore for energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting its own rights in the region, as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Turkish leaders have repeatedly stressed that Ankara is in favor of resolving all outstanding problems in the region through international law, good neighborly relations, dialogue, and negotiation.

Regarding Karabakh, Erdogan said the OSCE Minsk Group did not provide what was expected to resolve the dispute and a fair result could not be achieved.

- Karabakh conflict

Relations between the former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the Armenian occupation.

The two countries signed a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10 to end fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

The truce is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces have been withdrawing in line with the agreement.