Turkey’s Deputy President, Fuat Oktay, said on Monday that his country won’t be deterred from continuing drilling for oil and gas in the Eastern Mediterranean, Ekathimerini reports.
“We are not afraid of anyone. Those who seek an adventure in the eastern Mediterranean will get an answer,” Oktay said during a ceremony to mark the 38th anniversary of the Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence.
READ MORE: Greece, Cyprus foreign ministers slam Turkey’s ‘illegal actions’ in East Med.
Oktay’s remarks come after the Cypriot government said that ExxonMobil and partner, Qatar Petroleum, would resume in a few weeks drilling in an area southwest of Cyprus.
READ MORE: Turkish vessels to resume survey activities in the East Mediterranean.
A consortium made up of energy companies, Total of France and Italian Eni, will also resume drilling off Cyprus’ southern coast in the first half of next year.
This news comes as ships and aircraft from eight nations took part in annual drills last week to boost safety and security procedures on vessels and oil rigs off Cyprus’ southern coastline.
Source: Ekathimerini.
