BRUSSELS
European Union leaders expressed ‘concern’ about renewed tensions between the Greek Cypriot administration and Turkey over marine exploration for oil and gas.
The Greek Cypriot administration said in the first week of October it would block Turkey’s accession talks in the EU in response to Ankara's hydrocarbon exploration in waters that the administration claims as its territory.
Leaders of the 28 EU member states urged Turkey to "show restraint" and to "respect" the Greek Cypriot administration’s "sovereign rights" in these waters.
The Greek Foreign Ministry accused Turkey of violating the law of the sea with its exploration vessel.
Turkey rejects Greek accusations of sea law violations and Ankara has vowed to continue hydrocarbon explorations off the island.
"The Barbaros ship will continue to make its seismic studies [off Cyprus] … nobody should try to create a crisis," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference after holding a briefing meeting with Energy Minister Taner Yıldız on the issue on Oct. 21.
"We have the right to conduct seismic studies there, according to agreements signed between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We will always use this right," Davutoglu said.
The Greek Cypriot administration's leader, Nicos Anastasiades, was to have held talks with Turkish Cypriot President Dervis Eroglu if the talks had gone ahead.
Anastasiades, 68, arrived in Brussels to attend the EU summit but was briefly hospitalised with high blood pressure on Oct. 23.
Advised to rest, he asked Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to represent him at the meeting, the Greek Cypriot administration said.
In response to Ankara's action, Greek Cyprus has also made clear it will block any new talks with Turkey on its EU membership bid.
The Greek Cypriot administration is a member of the EU and is internationally recognized by all nations except Turkey, which remains the only country that recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
www.aa.com.tr/en
