The foreign ministry of Turkey on Tuesday expressed Ankara’s intention to press on with controversial energy plans in the eastern Mediterranean, Ekathimerini reports.
In the ministry’s annual report on Turkey’s foreign policy, it clearly states Turkey’s intention to continue prospecting for natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean despite disputes with Greece over maritime zones.
The report accused the European Union, and “other third parties,” of undermining stability in the region by taking a biased approach towards EU members Greece and Cyprus.
“On this continental shelf, where we have sovereign rights, hydrocarbon exploration activities will continue with Turkish-flagged seismic survey and drilling vessels,” it said.
“No platform or plan in the region that seeks to ignore our country will succeed.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also pointed the finger squarely at Greece for the spike in tension in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.
READ MORE: Turkey sends new drill ship to eastern Mediterranean.
