



Turkey raised the issue of hydrocarbon exploitation in the Eastern Mediterranean and waters that belong to Cyprus just 24 hours before new peace talks between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

Ankara issued two NAVTEX (navigational telex) saying it will use two large sea areas south of Cyprus in search of hydrocarbons and a military exercise.

Specifically, with NAVTEX 403/17 and 404/17, Ankara warns that on Wednesday (today) military exercises with real fire will be conducted while at the same time an oceanographic ship will conduct seismic surveys with a special cable from 4 a.m. until 8 a.m.

Turkey is challenging Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean. The eastern boundary of NAVTEX 403/17 reaches south of Limassol and includes not only plot 6, which Ankara claims belongs to the Turkish continental shelf, but at least four more that belong to Cyprus’ EEZ.



