Cavusoglu: Turkey is prepared to cooperate with all apart from G/C

Turkey is prepared to cooperate with everyone apart from the Republic of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Greece, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

The Turkish Foreign Minister also said that due to its drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and the maritime agreement signed with Libya, Turkey-EU relations have been injected with tension.

“There have been some negative developments between us and the EU, which unfortunately is not objective, as it acts only in response to its understanding solidarity, keeping a safe distance from reality," the Turkish FM said.

“But we, even though we defend the rights of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots, on the issue of an equal distribution of resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, are ready to cooperate with everyone including Greece, except the Greek Cypriots,” Cavusoglu stressed.

Earlier in the week, Bloomberg reported that EU diplomats have agreed to impose sanctions against two Turkish nationals in response to Ankara’s controversial search for hydrocarbons within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.

The two Turkish nationals will face travel bans and a freeze of their assets, in what is seen as an “extraordinary escalation” by Brussels against Ankara’s activities off the coast of EU member state Cyprus.