MUGLA, Turkey
The Turkish navy is authorized to take action if necessary against Cypriot or Israeli vessels in the Mediterranean, the commander of Turkish navy said in a meeting on Sunday.
"We will act within the framework of the determined rules of engagement if we encounter hostility in any situation," said Bulent Bostanoglu, the admiral in command of Turkish naval forces.
Turkey strongly objects to the attempts by the Greek Cypriot administration in exploitation of oil reserves in the waters around the island.
The dispute grew worse in early October and led to the suspension of peace talks in the divided island. Turkey sent an oil-and-gas exploration vessel with two navy ships to the waters off the southern coast of Cyprus, an area which the Greek Cypriot administration claims as an exclusive economic zone.
"The Turkish Naval Forces protect and provide support to the Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa Research Vessel," Bostanoglu said in a press meeting about naval maneuvers in the Mediterranean.
Egyptian, Greek and Greek Cypriot administration officials called on Turkey to stop its exploration "within the maritime boundaries of Cyprus," on Saturday, following a joint cooperation meeting in Cairo.
Turkish authorities say that the Greek Cypriot administration's search efforts violate the rights of Turkish Cypriots in the divided island.
The last round of peace talks between Turkish and Greek Cypriots resumed after a two-year pause in February 2013, but were broken off due to the dispute about hydrocarbon exploration.
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