Ankara raises spectre of possible EastMed military clash ahead of Greek-Turkish talks

Just four days before scheduled Greek-Turkish exploratory talks, Ankara has in essence threatened Athens and Nicosia with a possible military clash in the Eastern Mediterranean.

A day after the German foreign ministry dismissed Turkey's scathing criticism of the recent Greece-France defence pact - noting that it "contains clear references to the status of the two countries as EU and NATO member states, and is not directed against other partners" - Ankara is unleashing threats against Greece and Cyprus, even as it urges "third parties" not to become handmaidens of Athens and Nicosia, alluding to the new Greek-French strategic partnership.

Effectively, Turkey is a priori blaming Greece and Cyprus for the tensions that Ankara has already begun to raise in the EastMed region and is demanding the cancellation of scheduled exploration in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus.

The Nautical Geo research vessel, EastMed pipeline

The reason for Turkey's reaction is the research that is being carried out by the Nautical Geo research vessel, which has been LEASED by the POSEIDON consortium in order to plot the course of the EastMed Pipeline.

With a Republic of Cyprus NAVTEX, the ship will carry out research in Cyprus' maritime area, the jurisdiction over which is disputed by Turkey, which has unilaterally claimed that the area is part of Turkey's continental shelf.

Ankara and ExxonMobil's drilling

Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign ministry's statement raises the issue of the drilling by ExxonMobil in Cyprus' EEZ, which is scheduled for November.

Without naming the energy giant, the statement notes that the Republic of Cyprus "has announced that it will commence a new...