Cyprus brands Turkey "pirate state" as EEZ drilling resumes

Cyprus has branded Turkey a "pirate state" that flouts international law following Ankara's drilling operations within the Mediterranean island's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This is Turkey's fourth drilling operation in waters claimed by the divided island nation since last May.

Nicosia says that Turkey is drilling inside a block that has already been licensed to France's Total and Italy's Eni. The two companies are licensed to drill in seven of the 13 blocks recognised internationally as Cypriot waters.

ExxonMobil and its partner Qatar Petroleum, as well as Texas-based Noble Energy and its Israeli partner Delek also hold drilling licences.

“Since this has become an issue of national prestige for all parties concerned, Turkey will not back down,” said Professor Hubert Faustmann of the University of Nicosia.

“Turkey will not lose this confrontation because it is prepared to go further than all the other countries involved in the dispute,” the academic continued. “Turkey’s strategy is to create grey zones and disputed territories within the economic exclusive zones claimed by Cyprus and also Greece.”

Nicosia accused Turkey of choosing to "go down a path of international illegality" which "provocatively ignored" the stance taken by the European Union.

The Republic of Cyprus is aligned with Greece, Israel and Italy in planning a 2,000 km gas pipeline across the Mediterranean from Israel to Europe, in spite of opposition from Turkey.

A recently-signed maritime and security accord that Turkey signed with the embattled UN-recognised government in Libya has also been condemned by the governments in Greece, Israel, Egypt and France.

The EU's response so far has been to impose sanctions on Turkish individuals and firms involved in drilling operations inside the EEZ.

Turkey says that its actions are within international law and that the drilling is taking place inside its continental shelf.

Hami Aksoy, a spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the Turkish-Cypriot community should have equal rights to gas deposits and that "no one should doubt" Turkey's willingness to safeguard these rights.

Aksoy said a Turkish-Cypriot proposal to share gas revenues was still open for discussion and accused the EU of ignoring Turkish-Cypriot rights. 

“The EU has remained silent since 2003 to the usurping of our country’s and the Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the eastern Mediterranean,” Aksoy said.

“The European Union must firstly end these policies under the guise of union solidarity, which are far from reality, prejudiced and show double standards,” he told the media.

The Cypriot government says Turkish-Cypriot interests will be protected by an investment fund approved last year for future gas profits.

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