Hami Aksoy

Turkey announced on Jan. 19 that it has dispatched its drillship, Yavuz, to conduct hydrocarbon exploration works in the block "G" licensed by Turkish Cypriot in the south of the island.

The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, in which Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have been left out, is an unrealistic formation, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Jan. 16.

"If the purpose of this forum was really cooperation, of course, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots would be invited to the forum as well," spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

Straight on the heels of the signing by Greece-Cyprus-Israel of the EastMed pipeline agreement in Athens, the Turkish foreign ministry blasted the deal as yet another effort to lock Ankara and Turkish-occupied Cyprus out of the east Mediterranean oil and gas game.

The Eastern Mediterranean natural gas pipeline project, which excludes Turkey, cannot succeed, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Jan. 2.

The Arab League remains silent, unable to demonstrate determination in support of the legitimate government in Libya, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Dec. 31.

Turkey has long supported a political settlement in Libya and an end to attacks and the establishment of a complete ceasefire among the warring sides, spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

Turkey on Dec. 29 praised British judicial authorities for the detention of the father of a YPG/PKK terrorist organization volunteer on charges of bankrolling terrorism.

Hami Aksoy, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Turkey welcomed the detention of Paul Newey as well as the reasoning behind the arrest.

Turkey "strongly" protests an arson attack on the car of a member of staff at its consulate in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki in the early hours of Monday.

Turkey denounced early on Dec. 24 the setting on fire of a Turkish Consulate General employee's car in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.

"We strongly protest the arson of the private vehicle of the Consulate General official in Thessaloniki in the early hours towards morning [on Dec. 23]," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

Turkey on Dec. 21 welcomed the International Criminal Court's (ICC) probe into alleged war crimes committed in Palestine.

Turkey on Dec. 20 condemned the use of "negative language that targets Turkey" in a budget bill passed in the U.S. Congress.

"This is the latest outcome of the agenda pursued by Members of Congress who are bent on damaging our bilateral relations by any means," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.