EU ‘lacks courage’ to take action in East Med

Cyprus on Monday accused the EU of lacking the courage to assume a determining role to prevent an escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean as Turkey’s territorial ambitions go unchecked.

“We see the EU reacting, we have seen the statements made by Josep Borell which satisfy us. However, we consider that the policy of appeasing Turkey and sending messages of solidarity is not enough to prevent Turkey’s illegal activities,” government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos told reporters.

He said the EU must have a more intense, substantive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, which constitutes the eastern borders of Europe, the borders of two EU member states – Cyprus and Greece.

“Unfortunately, we see a lack of courage by the EU to assume a substantive role and implement preventive policies.”

Koushos said that there has been an intense diplomatic activity over the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean due to the “illegal and unlawful” behaviour of Turkey, which continues to drill within Cyprus’ EEZ.

Turkey also questions Greece’s designated continental shelf.

“Through the diplomatic efforts and the policy, we have been following we believe the international community and the EU will realise that the unlawful policy of Turkey, its destabilizing role, and its illegal activities will not be accepted.”

He said that for the first time, UK newspapers such as The Guardian and the Times have reported on Turkey and the behaviour of its President, referring to a ‘bully’ and to its unlawful actions.

Koushos said that the intense diplomatic efforts by Cyprus and Greece have begun to bear fruit, “we are not satisfied by the results”.

Ankara has sent on several occasions its seismic research vessel Barbaros into Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) since Nicosia started exploratory offshore drilling in 2011.

After May 2019, Turkey caused a stir by sending consecutively two drillships to conduct unauthorised gas drilling activities in areas licensed by Cyprus to international energy companies.