Turkish ship to begin drilling off Cyprus, minister says

One of Turkey's oil and gas exploration ships in the eastern Mediterranean will soon begin drilling southwest of Cyprus, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Saturday, as Ankara and Nicosia dispute offshore rights in the area.
Turkey and Cyprus have been shadow-boxing over ownership of resources in the eastern Mediterranean for years but the simmering dispute between countries that spurn diplomatic relations has intensified recently.
Ankara announced on Thursday that it had sent its Yavuz oil-and-gas drilling ship to waters off southern Cyprus where Greek Cypriot authorities have already awarded hydrocarbon exploration rights to Italian and French companies.
Turkey has already drilled two wells in waters to the east and west of the island, triggering strong protests from Nicosia and the European Union in recent months, including EU sanctions.
"Our Yavuz drilling...