In his statement, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez stated that Turkey has never bowed down to any threat and will never do so.
He stressed that the necessary legal and political measures had been taken in order to prevent efforts to ignore Turkey’s sovereign rights and that they would continue to take measures.
Underlining that the rights of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkish Cypriots will not be allowed to be usurped, Dönmez said: “We shall continue our efforts to ensure that the wealth of Cyprus and the Mediterranean will be shared fairly within the principle of justice. Our comprehensive and long term exploration and drilling activities within our licensed areas will continue without making any concessions from our legitimate rights. Our second drilling ship, the Yavuz, will commence its activities in the area once our preparations are completed.”
Indicating that the Greek Cypriot Administration continued their negative stance and behaviour towards Turkey’s drilling operations, which comply with international law, in the Eastern Mediterranean, Dönmez added that Turkey’s activities would continue against the arrest warrant issued by the Greek Cypriot Administration for the crew of drilling ship Fatih. Turkey has never bowed down to any threat and will never do so.
