Turkey: Oil, gas exploration may upset 'delicate' Cyprus balance

Turkey's Foreign ministry claims that research for oil and gas off the shores of Cyprus "does not contribute to stability in the area" and may potentially change a certain "delicate balance" concerning the division of the island.

The foreign ministry's note refers specifically to the start of the search for oil and gas by Exxon Mobil on Block 10 of the Republic of Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone (EZZ).

(Turkey refers to the Republic of Cyprus, which it does not recognize, as the "Greek-Cypriot administration of southern Cyprus" and to the Turkish-occupied breakaway northern Cyprus as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" [TRNC] which only Turkey recognizes).

Turkey will, in response, begin similar explorations to areas in which the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" has licensed Turkey's state oil company TPAO to explore.

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