Greece
Energy
Turkey Vows to Resume Eastern Mediterranean Drilling “Soon”
Turkey will “soon” resume its seismic and drilling activities under the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Fatih Donmez, its Energy Minister.
Cyprus
State Department Warns Ankara to Stop Drilling in Cypriot EEZ
The US State Department issued a new call for Turkey to cease its actions in response to that country's recent Navtex blocking off an area of the sea atop Cyprus' continental shelf from August 18 to September 15.
In response...
Energy
Turkey Ups the Ante of Provocations by Starting Drilling in Southeast Aegean
Turkish authorities announced on Tuesday that a drilling ship is to conduct explorations in the sea area south of the Greek island of Kastellorizo in the southeastern Aegean.
Ankara, which disputes that the island has a continental shelf and its...
Cyprus
Turkey Plans New Drillings Off Cyprus, Fueling Mediterranean Tensions
Turkey issued a new notice for its continued gas exploration and drillling inside the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on Wednesday, further fueling tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Navigational Telex (Navtex) covers the area southwest of the island for...
Diplomacy
Greece, US Back Drilling Off Crete; Call for Respect for International Law
Greek and American officials hailed the partnership between oil giants ExxonMobil of the US, Total of France and Hellenic Petroleum in two offshore exploration licenses off Crete during a Monday teleconference.
"Both sides welcomed the participation of ExxonMobil in partnership...
Cyprus
EU Warns Turkey Over Violations From Drilling In Greek Waters
The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has urged Turkey to respect the borders of Greece and Cyprus, following its earlier threats to drill for oil and gas inside Greece's territorial waters.
Further, Borrell also stated that the EU was...
Diplomacy
Turkey Defies Warning, Insists on Drilling in Greek Waters
Turkey has defied Greece's warning to cancel its planned drilling for hydrocarbons in the Mediterranean, close to Greek islands, claiming that exploration will take place on its own continental shelf.
“The new license areas that Turkish Petroleum applied for, regarding...
Diplomacy
Turkey Blasts Countries for Condemning Illegal Drilling Off Cyprus
Turkey reacted angrily on Monday to a joint declaration issued earlier in the day by Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and the United Arab Emirates denouncing “ongoing illegal Turkish activities” in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami...
Diplomacy
Greece Slams Turkey Over New Drilling Intentions in Cyprus' EEZ
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday regarding Ankara's fresh drilling intentions inside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus.
“This is yet another provocation which ignores appeals by the European Union and...
Cyprus
Report Says EU to Impose Sanctions on Turkish Officials Over Cyprus Drillings
A report from the American website Bloomberg on Tuesday suggests that the EU has agreed to impose sanctions on two Turkish nationals in regard to the country's illegal actions inside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus.
The American...
Cyprus
Turkey Proposes Halt to All Drilling Activities on Cyprus Until Island's Reunification
Responding to Italy's recent remarks that the EU should sanction Turkey for its behavior inside Cyprus' maritime borders, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a long statement on Thursday which basically asked Cyprus to stop its drilling activities.
'We consider the...
Cyprus
US Calls on Turkey to Halt "Provocative" Drilling Operations Off Cyprus
The United Sates expressed its “deep concern” over Turkey’s drilling operations off Cyprus, including plans to dispatch the drill ship Yavuz south of the island, a State Department spokesman said on Tuesday.
“This provocative step raises tensions in the region....
Cyprus
UK Sides With Cyprus, Deplores New Turkish Drilling in Eastern Mediterranean
High-ranking officials of the United Kingdom condemned on Tuesday Turkey's new provocative actions around and inside the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus.
Asked to comment on the Turkish activity around the island by the state-run Cyprus News...
Cyprus
Cyprus Denounces Turkey as a Pirate State Over Illegal Drilling
Cyprus called Turkey a ”pirate state” on Sunday after Ankara announced that the Turkish research vessel ”Yavuz” will soon conduct a new series of hydrocarbon research and drillings south of the island.
The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of Turkey...
Diplomacy
Erdogan Claims Turkey, Libya Can Start Drilling South of Crete
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave an interview to the Turkish state-run TRT television network on Monday evening in which he announced Ankara's plans to conduct drillings in cooperation with Libya southeast of Crete.
In an unprecedented statement denying Greece's sovereign...