Turkey is determined to protect its legitimate rights in the eastern Mediterranean declared Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Bilman at a weekly press conference in Ankara yesterday.
As a Greek Cypriot bid for drilling in the eastern Mediterranean is about to conclude, Bilman slammed the Greek administration's initiatives of handing out oil drilling licenses and delimitation of sovereignty areas around the island, by depicting them as violations of international law. Bilman noted that Turkey registered its position on the issue on every occasion, especially through a declaration sent to the United Nations on March 2, 2004. “Turkey possesses legitimate rights and authority over seas west of Cyprus beginning from the 32nd degree 16th minute 18th second Eastern Longitude. However Greek Cypriots insist on ignoring Turkey's warnings,” underlined Bilman, saying that the Greek side of the island launched an international bid for drilling oil in the region on February 15. Bilman noted that Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) continues its activities in parts of the eastern Mediterranean within Turkish territorial waters. “Turkey maintains its previous decision on admission of Greek Cypriot vessels to its ports,” affirmed Bilman, commenting on the violations of Turkish territorial waters by Greek Cypriot ships. Some Greek Cypriot vessels are able to submit different documents when they seek entry to Turkish ports via shipbrokers if they are registered in two different countries explained Bilman, adding that concerned authorities were warned to take necessary measures.
Turkey explores new oil sites In a related development, the General Directorate of Petroleum Affairs (GDPA) affirmed TPAO's application for oil and natural gas drilling permission and granted a license for drilling with geophysical methods in four areas off the Cyprus coastline. GDPA's license demand for drilling outside Turkish territorial waters in the Antalya oil region dated April 18 and July 25, 2007 appeared in the official gazette yesterday. According to the declaration, TPAO will be able to drill within the 34th, 35th and 36th latitude and 30th, 31th and 32nd longitude.
Greek lobby in US active Two drafts demanding Turkey's military withdrawal were proposed to the U.S. House of Representatives with efforts of the Greek lobby. Drafts indicate that no hostilities were recorded despite 13 million mutual entries that took place since the opening of the borders on April 23, 2003. It is claimed that Turkey's military presence is rendered obsolete by this fact. Proposals are not binding even if accepted. They just reflect the view of the House of Representatives.
(Anatolia News Agency, 09/08/2007)