Turkey renews call for talks, sharing of resources with Greece

The countries are locked in a tense standoff over claims to hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Defusing tensions: Warships from Greece, Italy, Cyprus and France engaged in a joint drill in the Mediterranean Sea.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister said on Tuesday his country favours a dialogue with rival Greece that would lead to the fair sharing of resources in the eastern Mediterranean, where the two countries are locked in a tense standoff that threatens to spill into a conflict.

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Speaking at a news conference with his Algerian counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu also accused Greece of engaging in “provocative acts” in the region with the backing of the European Union, which has threatened sanctions against Ankara.

“We favour a joint solution that involves sitting around the table to negotiate with all sides in the eastern Mediterranean, for everyone to benefit from the eastern Mediterranean resources in a just manner or for the sharing (of resources) fairly,” Mr. Cavusoglu said.

Both countries’ forces have been conducting military exercises in the seas between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. The standoff was sparked when Turkey sent its research vessel, Oruc Reis, accompanied by warships to search for gas and oil reserves. On Monday, Turkey extended Oruc Reis’ mission by another 10 days, until September 12.

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Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has threatened Greece with military action, described Turkey’s activities in the eastern Mediterranean as the “pursuit of (its) rights and justice” and denounced what he said were Greek efforts to “imprison” Turkey to a small region surrounding its coast.

“Efforts to descend on the riches of the Mediterranean, which are the rights of every country around it, is an example of modern-day colonialism,” Mr. Erdogan said.

“It is comical how (nations) are trying to throw a state that cannot even help itself as bait in front of a regional and global power like Turkey,” he said.

Threat of EU sanctions

Greece, a member of the EU, claims the waters are part of its continental shelf and has enlisted the support of the 27-nation bloc, which has condemned Turkey’s “illegal activities” and plans to blacklist Turkish officials linked to energy exploration.

Turkey disputes Greece’s claims that waters where it’s searching for hydrocarbons are part of Greece’s continental shelf, insisting that Greek islands near Turkey’s coast cannot be taken into account when delineating maritime boundaries. Ankara accuses Athens of trying to grab an unfair share of the eastern Mediterranean’s resources.

Greece voiced hope on Monday that the threat of sanctions from its European Union partners would persuade Turkey to stop its offshore energy prospecting

Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said the threat of sanctions gave Turkey an “exit strategy” from the evolving crisis. “It is in Turkey’s interest above all, with its economy shaken and so many open fronts, to realize that right now Europe is offering it a way out... (allowing) the peaceful settling of our differences to define maritime zones between the two countries,” he said.