Thursday, September 8, 2011
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
 EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule is seen at a press conference in Sarajevo on June 2 last year. AFP photo |
The EU commissioner for enlargement and European neighborhood policy has lent support to Greek Cyprus, saying it has the right to conduct gas and oil exploration in the Mediterranean despite Turkey’s warnings.
“The EU [emphasizes] all the sovereign rights of EU member states which include entering into bilateral agreements in accordance with the EU acquis and international law, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Anca Paduraru, a spokesperson for EU Commissioner Stefan Fuele, told the Hürriyet Daily News in a written statement Wednesday.
The statement also warned Turkey about interfering with Greek Cypriot plans to conduct oil and natural gas exploration in the Mediterranean Sea.
“The EU urges Turkey to refrain from any kind of threat, sources of friction or action which could negatively affect good neighborly relations and the peaceful settlement of border disputes,” the statement said. The statement also said the commissioner would continue to monitor Turkey’s commitments to good neighborly relations in light of the principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes.
Meanwhile, an official from Noble Energy, a U.S. firm due to start exploratory drilling for natural gas off Cyprus in October, said the company will continue its explorations despite warnings from Turkey against such concessions.
Greek Cypriot newspaper Fileleftheros reported that the anonymous official said they would monitor Turkey’s reactions but would not step back from their work in the eastern Mediterranean, Anatolia news agency reported Thursday.
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