Turkey is always ready to resolve Eastern Mediterranean issue through dialogue on equitable basis, the Turkish president said Monday.
“WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT OUR OWN PLANS IN THE FIELD”
“We are always here and ready to resolve conflicts through dialogue on equitable basis,” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, following the Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara.
“No way Turkey would consent to any initiative trying to lock the country to its shores, ignoring the vast Turkish territory,” Erdoğan said.
“Turkey will continue to implement its own plans in the field and diplomacy until a common sense prevails on the issue of Eastern Mediterranean,” he added.
But Greece’s controversial move last week to sign a maritime delimitation agreement with Egypt, which Turkey says violates its continental shelf and maritime rights, has further sparked tension between the two neighbors.
Turkey also announced on Monday that its seismic vessel Oruç Reis will conduct research in the region until Aug. 23.
Ankara accuses Greece of pursuing maximalist policies in the Eastern Mediterranean and underlines that its maritime claims violate Turkey’s sovereign rights.