Turkey will issue seismic exploration and drilling licenses in new areas of eastern Mediterranean: Çavuşoğlu

Turkey will issue seismic exploration and drilling licenses in new areas of the eastern Mediterranean by the end of August and continue its operations in the region, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Tuesday, amid tensions with Greece.

NATO allies Turkey and Greece at odds over overlapping claims for hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey sent a vessel on Monday to conduct a seismic survey in a disputed area in the region, a move which Greece said was illegal and stoked tensions.

Speaking at a news conference in Ankara, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey would issue new licenses for operations near the western borders of its continental shelf and continue "all sorts of seismic and drilling operations" in the area.

Çavuşoğlu said the Turkish administration demonstrated its goodwill in the region where tension has been high following the discovery of energy resources, by making "temporary" gestures in line with the demands of Germany and some other European countries.

However, according to the Turkish top diplomat, Ankara's gestures were not reciprocated by the Greek administration and Greek Cypriots and Turkey reactivated its drilling vessels in response.

"We will defend rights of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean, and not make any concessions," he said, adding seismic and drilling activities would be conducted this month.