Exclusive economic zone

Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos called on Turkey to end its illegal acitivities within Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) during talks on Thursday evening with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on the sidelines of a Council of Europe ministerial meeting in Helsinki.

The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued a statement regarding the comments made by Sir Allan Duncan on Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
"'We are following developments in the Eastern Mediterranean with concern. We would like to see the situation deescalated."

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will issue a demarche to British Prime Minister Theresa May over the "unacceptable" comments made in the British Parliament on Tuesday by UK Minister of State for Europe Alan Duncan, who described Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), where Turkey plans to conduct exploratory hydrocarbon activities, as an area whose "sovereignty is under dispute."

As Turkey raises the stakes in the Eastern Mediterranean with violations and threats of drilling in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Cypriot minister of energy, commerce, industry and tourism notes that "the best response is for us to continue to implement our energy strategy unfettered."

Cyprus' Foreign Ministry has summoned the British High Commissioner Stephen Lillie to explain the British stance on Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) following statements made Tuesday in the British Parliament by UK Minister for Europe Alan Duncan.

By George Gilson

President Prokopis Pavlopoulos placed the threats to Cyprus' sovereignty and Greece's support for a Cyprus problem settlement at the top of the agenda in talks with Chinese President Xi Jingpin in Beijing today, even as he underlined that Athens is fully aligned with Brussels on policy issues concerning Beijing.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Monday met with China's Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) during a state visit to China, state-run Athens-Macedonia (ANA-MPA) news agency reports.

Pavlopoulos discussed Greece's key foreign policy issues, particularly the Cyprus problem, ANA-MPA said.

In a sign that Ankara is further ratcheting up tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez suggested that the country's plans to start drilling off Cyprus are within its sovereign rights, calling on "all sides to respect the research and drilling exercises within our continental shelf."

Total and ENI are expanding their presence in the Cypriot EEZ according to government sources. The French-Italian consortium has been allocated the exploration licence for Block 7 according to unofficial information obtained by the Cyprus News Agency.
The same sources reported that the French and Italian partnership can be extended to other Blocks of the Cyprus EEZ.

With Turkey pushing the envelope in the Southeastern Mediterranean and specifically in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Nicosia hopes that Ankara's bellicose actions may be best addressed by business factors.

It is hoped that the interests of energy giants which will be drilling there may act as a deterrent.