Exclusive economic zone

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades are due to continue talks in Nicosia on Friday after the New Democracy leader arrived on the Eastern Mediterranean island yesterday to back Cyprus’s right to explore for hydrocarbons in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Cyprus has the right to conduct oil and gas exploratory drilling in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said.

Lieberman, who made the comment after talks between Cypriot and Israeli diplomats met in Nicosia on Wednesday, added that all states in the region should respect international laws and sovereignty.

Turkish Navy corvette TCG Buyukada exited Greece's territorial waters at 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday, according to a statement by the country's National Defense General Staff (GEETHA).

United Nations envoy Espen Barth Eide will visit Athens on Wednesday for a series of meetings with Greek officials ahead of his visit to Cyprus Thursday.

Eide will hold talks with Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos at 4 p.m. after meeting with the ministry's secretary general Anastasios Mitsialis.

Defense Minister Nikos Dendias on Tuesday appeared to play down the presence of a Turkish Navy corvette in Greek waters, referring to “predictable” tactics by Ankara, but the latest in a series of transgressions fueled concern in the ranks of the government, with Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos condemning the “blatant violation of international law” by Turkey off the coast of Cyprus.

A decision by Turkey’s top security body to maintain its presence off the southern coast of Cyprus, where Cypriot authorities already have a license to drill for oil and gas, has heightened fears of tensions climaxing in the region if the Turkish seismic survey vessel Barbaros moves into other areas.

The governments of Egypt, Greece and Greek Cyprus have urged Turkey to stop trying to chart gas deposits in areas of the east Mediterranean claimed by Greek Cyprus, saying the work was illegal.

Greek Cyprus, a European Union member, is anxious to develop the gas reserves in its so-called exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an offshore region lying south of the island.

A reference in Friday’s European Council conclusions calling on Turkey to respect Cyprus’s sovereign rights left Athens and Nicosia content with the outcome of the European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels.

As Nicosia threatened to block Turkey's EU membership talks over a violation of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by a Turkish survey vessel, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced that gas exploration activities off the island's southern coast would continue.

Cyprus has said it will block any progress in Turkey's EU membership talks in response to a violation of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by a Turkish survey vessel.
“We cannot consent to the opening of any new chapters under the current circumstances,” ... ...