ENERGY: Italy slams Turkey’s incursion into Cyprus EEZ, offers support

Italy Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has condemned Turkey’s violation of Cyprus’ sovereign rights and international law, voicing Rome’s full solidarity inside the EU. 

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This was conveyed in a telephone conversation Conte had Wednesday with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

Government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said “the President informed the Italian Prime Minister extensively about Turkey’s ongoing illegal actions and intrusion in a licensed block…they exchanged views over ways to address the Turkish provocations…”

 

He said, “Mr Conte reiterated his country’s position, clearly condemning the violation of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus and of international law by Turkey.”

“He expressed Italy’ full solidarity with Cyprus, reasserting that he will maintain this position at the forthcoming summit of the European Council”.

Turkish drillship Yavuz, has returned to Cyprus’ EEZ to carry out drilling operations inside block 7 that is licensed by Nicosia to France’s Total and Italy’s ENI for hydrocarbon exploration.

Yavuz was anchored off the island’s north-eastern coast on July 8 and operated within Cyprus territorial waters 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 drillship Fatih has been anchored 36 nautical miles west of Akamas peninsula since then.  

Cyprus has called on the Yavuz and its supporting vessels to immediately cease illegal operations in the Republic’s Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf.

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