Ankara “will not allow any unauthorized activity” in areas of the Eastern Mediterranean that it considers part of the Turkish continental shelf, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense states. At the same time, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense accuses Greece and the Republic of Cyprus of “provocative actions” and claims that military buildup in Cyprus is escalating tensions.
In a new statement regarding the route of the undersea power cable between Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense reiterates Ankara’s claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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“Under international law, as a coastal state, any activity involving the laying of cables/pipelines or scientific research to be carried out on our continental shelf must be coordinated in advance with our country,” it states.
The Turkish Ministry of National Defense states that it will not permit operations without its consent in areas it considers to fall within its continental shelf. “Our country, within the framework of the rights and responsibilities arising from its status as a coastal state, will not permit any unauthorized activity on its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean,” it says.
Ankara, in fact, directly links this position to the agreements it has concluded with the pseudo-state and Libya, citing the maritime claims it had submitted to the UN on March 18, 2020.
Criticism of Military Equipment in Cyprus
Following a military parade in Cyprus, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense stated that it “closely monitored” the event and maintains that the Republic of Cyprus’s ongoing arms procurement activities and its military cooperation with third countries “negatively affect the delicate balance and the climate of trust on the island.”
At the same time, it accuses Athens and Nicosia of “provocative actions,” arguing that they “do not contribute to efforts to consolidate mutual trust” and that they increase tensions.
Ankara also reiterates its position in favor of “sovereign equality and the equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people,” stating that it will continue to take measures to ensure the safety of Turkish Cypriots in cooperation with the authorities of the pseudo-state.
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Source: CNA
