Turkey slams Greek Cyprus over reported arrest warrant

ANKARA

Turkey on Monday slammed the Greek Cypriot administration’s reported decision to issue arrest warrants for crew members of the Turkish-flagged drillship Fatih.

Any such warrants are "null and void" for us, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

"Nobody should doubt that we will give the necessary response if it dares [to do so]," Aksoy said.

His remarks came after the Greek Cypriot administration reportedly issued arrest warrants for crew members of the drillship Fatih and officials of companies cooperating with the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO).

"We will also initiate the necessary counter-legal processes together with relevant institutions," he added.

Aksoy also stressed that Greek Cypriot efforts to halt Turkey's work on its own continental shelf using such futile methods “will yield no results."

"Turkey will resolutely continue its petrol and natural gas exploration and drilling as planned in order to protect the rights of both its own continental shelf and the rights of Turkish Cypriots, who are equal partners of the island,” Aksoy added.

Speaking separately, ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Omer Celik said: "We will not allow the Greek Cypriot administration to usurp the rights of the Turkish Cypriots."

"The news that the Greek Cypriot administration issuing arrest warrants for the crew of our Fatih drillship and officials of the companies cooperating with TPAO is a clear provocation," Celik said.

"Ignoring the Turkish Cypriots and trying to usurp their rights is vain politics," he added.

Devlet Bahceli, head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), also condemned the reported Greek Cypriot move as “unlawful.”

Turkey has the strength and competence to overcome "barbaric" and "anti-peace moves" in the eastern Mediterranean, he added.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez stressed that Turkey’s exploration activities are continuing without any disruption by the threat of arrests.

"Turkey never surrendered in the face of any threat and it never will," he added.

* Writing by Nilay Kar, Dilara Hamit and Beyza Binnur Donmez