Erdogan: Turkey will not be confined to its coastline

Turkey is in favor of peace and cooperation rather than tension in the eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reported as saying Monday, however adding that his country will not yield to “imperialist” expansionism in the region.

“We are not after exploiting the rights of anyone but try to take a firm stance against pirates that try to take our rights away,” Erdogan was quoted as telling the Eastern Mediterranean Workshop.

According to the same reports, Erdogan said that Turkey will not accept plans or maps that aim to confine the country to its coastline.

EU foreign ministers were Monday set to evaluate grounds for sanctions against Turkey over its actions in the eastern Mediterranean before the bloc’s leaders convene December 10-11 to decide whether to make good on their threat to impose sanctions.