Mogherini urges Turkey to abort plans for Cyprus drilling

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has called on Turkey to abort plans for offshore drilling operation in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, warning that the bloc will “respond appropriately” to any violation of international law.

“We call urgently on Turkey to show restraint, respect the sovereign rights of Cyprus in its exclusive economic zone and refrain from any such illegal action, to which the European Union will respond appropriately and in full solidarity with Cyprus,” Mogherini said following talks with EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.

“This is the clear position that ministers expressed today in solidarity with Cyprus,” she said.

Full remarks by Mogherini: ''Yes, the Foreign Minister of Cyprus [Nikos Christodoulides] informed us about the situation. I want to personally thank him, as well as President [of Cyprus, Nicos] Anastasiades, with whom we have been constantly in touch in these days and these weeks, and also the Greek authorities with whom we have consulted on this issue in these weeks, for very frank and open channels that we have established on this issue.

I can reiterate what I said already on 4 May in my statement on Turkey’s intended drilling activities in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, where I expressed on behalf of the European Union grave concern on the intention to carry out drilling activities within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus and the strong condemnation that we already expressed in March last year of Turkey’s continued illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

We call urgently on Turkey to show restraint, and respect for the sovereign rights of Cyprus in its Exclusive Economic Zone and refrain from any such illegal action to which the European Union will respond appropriately and in full solidarity with Cyprus. This is a position that was re-expressed again very clearly in Sibiu at the Heads of State and Government summit last week. This is also the clear position that the Ministers expressed today in solidarity with Cyprus''.