Turkey warns Greece against inflaming tensions in Med

By Murat Temizer

ANKARA

Turkey on Thursday warned Greece against taking actions in the Mediterranean Sea that would spark tensions in the region.

"We advise Greece not to resort to unlawful attempts to be able to continue bilateral relations and good neighborly relations and to avoid acts that would inflame tensions in the Mediterranean," the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said in a statement.

"Preventing Turkey's activities carried out in its economic zone in accordance with international law is in no way compatible with the rules of international law."

The ministry also said Turkey would continue to defend its rights under international law.

The statement came after the Turkish navy prevented a Greek frigate from interfering in the activity of the Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa, a Turkish seismic and drilling vessel working in the eastern Mediterranean, earlier Thursday.

The activity, which had been announced by Turkish authorities, met with Greek interference in the early morning, according to military sources.

Turkey has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration’s unilateral drilling activity in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying Turkish Cypriots also have rights to the resources in the area.