Ankara is moving towards further regional tensions, with the announcement of the start of oil and gas exploration in the waters of the eastern Mediterranean, and the confirmation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that "Turkey will not allow the exploitation of gas reserves in Turkish waters and in northern Cyprus," the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey opposes Cyprus for oil exploration, arguing that this contradicts its rights. Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey "will never accept such attempts to exclude our country and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," according to the Associated Press.
"We will not accept attempts to extract natural resources in our country, Cyprus or in the eastern Mediterranean."
In a speech at a naval and submarine delivery ceremony, the Turkish president said that countries that believed they could operate in the eastern Mediterranean or the Aegean "without Ankara's consent are wrong."
Attempts to take advantage of natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean region have revived tensions between Turkey and Greece, especially after Athens allowed eight soldiers who took part in the coup in 2016 to escape prosecution.
Ankara has threatened, more than once, to use force against ships that were heading to the eastern Mediterranean to explore for gas, in favor of Greece.
Ankara has diplomatic relations only with a separatist Turkish Cypriot state in the north of the island, which is not recognized by other countries.
Turkey and the Greek Cypriot government in Cyprus are planning hydrocarbon prospecting in the Mediterranean for natural gas reserves.
Turkish Cypriots in northern Cyprus, backed by Turkey, say any resources from sea exploration to the Greek Cypriots must "share them together."
