Turkey won’t let rights in Med be compromised: National Security Council

Turkey will continue protecting its rights and interests in the Mediterranean without any compromise, the country's National Security Council said on June 2. 

"Negative approaches of some actors, who met on the common ground against Turkey, regarding Turkey's legitimate and legal steps in the Mediterranean were evaluated, and it is stated that protection of our country's rights and interests in land, sea, and air will continue without any compromise," the council, headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said in a statement issued following its meeting.

Turkey is a guarantor nation for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration's unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the Turkish Cyprus also has rights to the resources in the area.

In 1974, following a coup aimed at the annexation of Cyprus by Greece, Ankara had to intervene as a guarantor power. In 1983, Turkish Cyprus was founded.

Fight against terrorism

The council said Turkey will resolutely continue its fight against terrorism with its operations both inside and across the border.

"The commitment to continue multi-dimensional works to protect the territorial integrity of Syria, to clear the region of terrorist organizations and return of Syrians to their countries was reiterated," it added.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched three successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable peaceful settlement by locals: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK- listed as a terrorist organization...

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