Turkish Ship to Continue Exploration in Mediterranean, Energy Minister Says

The Saipem 12000 drillship pictured upon entering Cyprus waters in late December. Photo published on December 27 by Georgios Lakkotrypis, Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus.

IZMIR, Turkey, Oct 19 (Reuters) – A Turkish energy exploration ship will continue to operate in the Mediterranean Sea, the energy minister said on Friday, after Ankara said the navy stopped a Greek frigate from harassing the ship due to territorial disputes.

Turkey, Greece and Cyprus’s internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government have long disputed their overlapping claims of jurisdiction for offshore oil and gas research in the Mediterranean.

“Turkish Petroleum’s exploration ship will continue its activities in line with Turkey’s rights,” Energy Minister Fatih Donmez told reporters in the western coastal province of Izmir, referring to the state-owned oil company.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that the navy had stopped a Greek frigate from harassing the Turkish Petroleum ship in the Mediterranean Sea, calling on Greece to avoid further escalation in the region.

Greece has denied it harassed the frigate. (Reporting by Can Sezer Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun Editing by David Dolan)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018.

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