Turkey to go ahead with drilling as planned in Libya deal
State-run oil firm Turkish Petroleum has submitted an application to start drilling in parts of the eastern Mediterranean outlined in the country’s contentious maritime borders agreement with the Libyan government in Tripoli, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Thursday.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Donmez said that Turkey’s gas an oil exploration plans will proceed as foreseen by the November 27, 2019 agreement, which seeks to create an exclusive economic zone from Turkey’s southern Mediterranean shore to Libya’s northeast coast.
Cyprus, Egypt and Greece have all condemned the Libyan-Turkish deal as contrary to international law.
Donmez also said that Turkey plans to drill in the Black Sea for the first time, starting in July.
