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TEHRAN, February 12 - The European Union’s executive on Monday called on Turkey to “refrain from any actions that might damage good neighborly relations” after Cyprus, a member of the bloc, accused the Turkish military of obstructing a ship exploring for gas.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Greek Cypriots run Cyprus’s internationally recognized government, while Turkish Cypriots have a breakaway state in the north - recognized only by Ankara - and say resources around the island belong to them too.
Cyprus said on Sunday the Turkish military had obstructed a vessel contracted by Italian oil company Eni which was approaching an area to explore for natural gas.
“Turkey needs to commit unequivocally to neighborly relations and avoid any kind of source of friction, threat or action directed against a member state,” a spokeswoman for the executive European Commission said.
“The EU also stresses the need to respect the sovereignty of member states over their territorial sea and airspace.”
Turkey’s foreign ministry, in a statement on Sunday, did not make any mention of obstructing the Eni ship but said the case was a unilateral move by Greek Cypriots that violated the sovereign rights of Turkish Cypriots.
It said the Greek Cypriots were jeopardizing security and stability on the ethnically split island and in the region.
On Monday Greece accused Turkey of violating international law and said its “provocative conduct” was inconsistent with that of a country seeking accession to the EU.
“We call on Turkey to desist from further unlawful actions and to comply with its obligations stemming from international law,” the foreign ministry in Athens said in a statement.
Relations between the EU and Turkey have become strained by disagreements over democracy and human rights, especially since a large-scale crackdown in the wake of a failed Turkish coup in 2016.
However, European countries still rely on Turkey as a NATO ally and as a brake to help reduce an influx of Syrian and other migrants and refugees into the bloc.
Turkey’s EU minister, Omer Celik, will join 28 foreign ministers of the bloc for talks in Bulgaria on Friday. Ankara is pushing to lift visa requirements for its citizens traveling to Europe.
The EU is unwilling to grant Turks that concession now but, careful to avoid upsetting President Tayyip Erdogan too much, is due to commit more money for the large number of Syrian refugees living in Turkey.
Source: Presstv
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