Cyprus says Turkish warships continue to block drilling rig

Turkey has faced criticism after its warships continued to impede a rig from reaching a location off Cyprus where Italian energy company Eni is scheduled to drill for gas.
Cyprus government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides yesterday told state broadcaster RIK that the rig remains anchored about 50 kilometres from the drilling target off the island nation's southeastern coast.
He said both the government and Eni are focused on ensuring that drilling goes ahead as planned.
The Turkish warships also prevented other merchant vessels from approaching the area, citing ongoing military manoeuvres, Christodoulides said. Cyprus says a Turkish notice blocking off the area for military activity violates international law and is legally invalid.

In 1974, Cyprus was divided into a Greek Cypriot south, where the internationally recognised government is seated, and a Turkish Cypriot north that only Turkey recognises and where over 35,000 Turkish troops are stationed.
Turkey opposes the oil drilling, saying it disregards the rights of breakaway Turkish Cypriots to the island's natural resources.

The Cypriot government says it has a sovereign right to drill for gas and that if the search is successful, any income would be shared equitably if the island is reunified.
Greece's foreign ministry condemned what it said was Turkey's disregard for international law and the "blatant violation" of Cyprus' sovereign rights.

It also said that Turkey's "provocative" behaviour wasn't appropriate for a country that has worked to join the European Union membership.
The EU cautioned Turkey to respect the territory of its member states and to avoid ratcheting up tensions. Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, but only the southern part enjoys full membership benefits.
"Turkey needs to commit unequivocally to good neighbourly relations and avoid any kind of source of friction, threat or action directed against a member state" European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said.
EU Council President Donald Tusk echoed Andreeva. In a post on his official Twitter account, Tusk said he spoke to Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and called on Turkey to "avoid threats or actions" against EU members and to commit to "peaceful dispute settlement."

Turkey has in the past routinely issued notices binding areas south of Cyprus for naval drills in response to the island nation's hydrocarbons search. But it's the first time that it has taken such a step to prevent drilling.
Last week, Cyprus said Eni had discovered a potentially sizable gas deposit at another target southwest of the island.