Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Greece and Cyprus on Sunday that he will ill never allow attempts to “extort” natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“We will never allow attempts of extorting natural resources in Eastern Mediterranean by excluding us and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” Anadolu Agency (AA) quoted Erdogan as saying.
The Turkish leader was speaking at the delivery ceremony of third ship of MILGEM – Turkey’s first indigenous warship program – to Turkish Naval Forces in Istanbul.
He said those who thought they could take steps contrary to Turkey in Eastern Mediterranean or Aegean have started to realize they made a “huge” mistake.
“We do not have an eye on countries’ rights, laws and territories. We only protect the rights of our country and brothers,” he added.
Turkey has consistently contested the Cypriot government’s drilling activity in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying Turkish Cypriots also have rights to the resources in the area.
Also speaking on the occasion, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said any project, which Turkey is not part of, in the Aegean and Mediterranean does not have a chance to survive.
Turkish Armed Forces and Naval Forces will take every step to protect Turkey’s rights and interests, Akar added, according to the AA report.
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