Egypt warns Turkey of ‘escalation’ over drilling off Cyprus

Egypt yesterday warned Turkey against escalating tensions in the eastern Mediterranean over its attempt to drill for oil and gas in the waters off Cyprus. A foreign ministry statement “stressed the importance of non-escalation and commitment to respecting and implementing international law.”

The discovery of huge gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has set off a race to tap underwater resources, sparking a dispute between Turkey and EU member Cyprus. Cairo expressed its concern over Turkey’s “insistence to continue with unilateral measures that would increase tensions in the eastern Mediterranean region.” Ankara’s Fatih vessel entered Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone in the west in May and has started drilling, while a second ship -- the Yavuz -- was deployed last month to search for oil and gas in the east.

The European Union said Monday the latest move by Turkey was an “unacceptable escalation”, having warned Ankara to stop its “illegal” activities or face sanctions. Cyprus is divided between the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and a breakaway state set up after the 1974 Turkish invasion. Turkey insists that its actions abide by international law as it is in the territorial waters of the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus.