Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron will remain in constant contact before EU leaders meet to discuss Turkey’s escalated aggression in the island’s EEZ.
The two leaders will keep appraised of the situation until the European Council on October 17 that will discuss the illegal Turkish actions in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), said government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou.
In a statement, Prodromou said Anastasiades and President Macron on Sunday had a telephone conversation during which they discussed the illegal actions of Turkey within Block 7 and exchanged views on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Anastasiades and Macron discussed ways of responding to these illegal actions and agreed that Cyprus and France will remain in constant contact during the coming days until the EU Summit.
Prodromou said that Macron reiterated the French position, denouncing Turkey’s new illegal incursion, noting these interventions do not abide by European and international law and must end.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk will include the new illegal actions of Turkey in the agenda of the forthcoming European Council, following a request by President Anastasiades.
According to a navigational warning issued by Turkey, Turkish drill ship "Yavuz", which has returned to Cyprus’ EEZ, will carry out drilling operations inside block 7, located off the south-western coast of Cyprus.
Block 7 has been licensed by Nicosia to energy giants France’s Total and Italy’s ENI for drilling operations.
Yavuz, was anchored off the island’s north-eastern coast on July 8 and illegally operated within the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus, until September 17, when it departed for a Turkish port in Mersin.
Turkey issued a navigational telex (navtex) in May announcing its intention to start drilling off Cyprus, the Turkish drill ship Fatih has been anchored 36 nautical miles west of Akamas peninsula ever since.
The area falls within the EEZ and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus but Turkey disputes this claiming the area as its own.
Cyprus has called on drill ship Yavuz and its supporting vessels to immediately cease illegal actions in the Republic’s waters, warning all those aboard the vessel and support ships face international arrest warrants issued against them.
Ankara has extended the navtex until November 1, 2019.
