Turkey’s Cavusoglu: Second drill to operate in the Mediterranean

The second drilling platform acquired by Turkey will begin drilling for oil and gas in January in the Mediterranean and not the Black Sea, as previously announced, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has told reporters.

Cavusoglu added that, to avoid “crowding,” the drill will operate inside Turkey's Esclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and not in an area where the socalled “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC),” the breakaway state on the island of Cyprus recognized only by Turkey.

Cavusoglu also said he will visit the portion of Cyprus occupieed by the Turkish army soon tomconfer with “TRNC” officials regarding the next steps to be taken in solving the Cyprus division issue.

The Cypriot foreign minister said that tensions with Greece over the Aegean flare up from time to time. “Despite the fact that they havent deported the Gulenists (supporters of Turkish cleric and opposition figure Fethullah Gulen) we are trying to bring our relations (with Greece) on a positive path,” he added.

“We will hold a Supreme Cooperation Meeting. And Mr. Tsipras (Greece's prime minister) will visit Ankara,” he said.

Cavusoglu said Turkey's EEZ conflicts in some places with Cyprus' although not at Block 10, where Exxon Mobil is drilling under the protection of a US frigate.

The Turkish foreign minister said that Turkey does not oppose drilling within Cyprus' EEZ, but wants to make sure that the Turkish Cypriot community in the “TRNC” “are guaranteed rights…on income from oil and natural gas.”

[Kathimerini Cyprus/CPA]