Turkey begins its search for oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean sea
Turkish Foreign Minister Moulud Jawish Oglu said on Monday that his country could begin this autumn with exploratory excavations of hydrocarbons on the northern Cyprus shelf.
“In the eastern Mediterranean, there is an economic zone of Turkey and a cliff for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, said Jawish Oglu at a joint press conference in Ankara with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Unrecognized Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Jawish Oglu said that “We’re taking the necessary steps and our Ministry of Energy is preparing to begin the excavations, and we could start this fall”.
Turkey has repeatedly opposed the exploration of oil and gas fields in Cyprus without taking into account Turkish interests on the island.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkish military intervention in the island and several attempts to annex it to Greece.
The Turkish military intervention resulted in the occupation of 37 per cent of the territory of the island, declared in 1983 by the Republic of Northern Turkish Cyprus, which was recognized only by Turkey.
