Turkey's Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu has warned that his country will respond like it did in the past if Cyprus tries to interfere with Ankhara's drilling for natural gas. Cyprus replied that it will not fall for the rhetoric of tension that Turkey «is trying to bring about».
Cavusoglu said that Ankara’s drilling activity inside Cyprus's exclusive economic zone was because the Republic failed to guarantee the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
«To us, these kinds of threats from the Greek Cypriot administration are meaningless,» said Cavusoglu on TRT Television, while adding: “They know they cannot take a step against us, and if they dare to do so they will get a response like in the past.”
His comments on the matter of drilling in Cyprus's EEX are in track with the words of Turkey's President, Tayyip Erdogan, who during the end of his official visit to China said:
«We are taking all legitimate steps and shall continue doing so. But should some quarters, who do not recognize international law stand in our way, then we too can speak the language they understand,» the Turkish president said.
Cyprus said that it will not follow Turkey down on its rhetoric of tension and confrontation. Government spokesman, Prodromos Prodromou pointed referred Mr Cavusoglu and Mr Erdogan to the conclusion of the European Council summit of June 20: That the sovereign rights of Cyprus must be respected.
