Cyprus, Turkey spar after warships block gas drilling
Cyprus has insisted Turkey had breached ‘international law’ on 11 February after Ankara's warships blocked an Italian drilling ship on course to explore for gas in the island's politically sensitive waters.
Italy's energy giant ENI said its vessel was ordered to stop by Turkish ships on 9 February over ‘military activities’ in the destination area’ as it sailed to begin explorations in Block 3 of Cyprus's exclusive economic zone.
Turkey and the Greek Cypriot-majority republic have sparred over resources in the eastern Mediterranean, with Ankara pushing the claim of the unrecognised statelet it backs on the north of the divided island.
Nicos Anastasiades, President of Cyprus, said: ‘We are keeping calm in order to avoid any crisis and taking all diplomatic steps necessary so that finally Cyprus' sovereign rights can be respected.
‘We are handling the situation by trying to avoid anything that could worsen the situation without ignoring the fact that Turkey's actions are in breach of international law.’
However, Turkey's foreign ministry lashed out at Cyprus over the ‘unilateral hydrocarbon-related activities’ by the European Union's most easterly member.
Turkey's foreign ministry in a statement said: ‘It does so in disregard of the inalienable rights on natural resources of the Turkish Cypriot people, who are the co-owners of the Island.
‘This unconstructive Greek Cypriot attitude also constitutes a major obstacle to the settlement of the Cyprus issue.’
The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third in response to a coup sponsored by the military junta then ruling Greece.
Cyprus announced on 8 February that exploratory drilling by Italy's ENI and France's Total had found extensive gas reserves elsewhere off the island in a major breakthrough in its hunt for resources.
Cyprus has signed deals with a range of firms for exploratory drilling, with US giant ExxonMobil also planning two drills in the second half of 2018.
The dispute over resources in the Mediterranean is another complicating factor in efforts to reunify the island after negotiations on the 44-year feud collapsed in acrimony last year.
Turkey and Cyprus are not the only countries at odds over resources in the eastern Mediterranean, with Israel and Lebanon also feuding over competing claims.
More from Naval Warfare
-
VARD and Fincantieri launch Resilience ship family to fill target Norway’s standardised vessel needs
VARD and Fincantieri’s announcement to launch the VARD Resilience series came only weeks after Norway’s new long-term 2025–36 defence plan.
-
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.
-
Keel laid for third Hellenic Navy frigate as harbour trials start for first
On 24 March 2022, Greece and Naval Group have signed a contract for three defence and intervention (FDI) frigates. Two warships will be due for delivery in 2025 and the third expected the following year, with the deal including an option to add a fourth frigate to be ready in 2027.