Erdogan calls on East Med states to reach ‘formula acceptable for all’
Only hours after Turkey announced plans to issue gas exploration and drilling licences in the Eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged states in the region to agree on a commonly accepted “formula.”
“Let’s all Mediterranean countries come together. Let’s find a formula acceptable for all and that protects the rights of all,” he said after a cabinet meeting, according to state-run Anadolu agency.
According to the report, Erdogan said that Turkey had paused seismic research activities in the region at the request of German Chancellor Angela Merkel “as a gesture of good will,” before slamming Greece for signing a maritime boundaries agreement with Egypt last week.
“The Greek side has shown once again that it does not act in good faith and has turned to an agreement with Egypt that has no legal basis,” Erdogan said, according to the report.
“No way Turkey will consent to any initiative trying to lock the country to its shores, ignoring the vast Turkish territory of 780,000 square meters,” he was quoted as saying.
“Turkey will continue to implement its own plans in the field and diplomatic area until common sense prevails on the issue,” he reportedly said.
