Turkey Sends Ships to Drill for Oil, Gas Off Cyprus

By Staff, Agencies

Turkish officials say Turkey is set to send a new ship today, to search for oil and gas off Cyprus. The new vessel has previously drilled in the waters off several countries, and is docked in the port of Yavuz, southeast of Istanbul.

At a launch ceremony, the head of the state-run Turkiye Petrolleri company, Melih Han Bilgin, said operations are set to begin in early July.  

The region near the divided island is believed to have rich natural gas deposits, part of a larger field that has become a major boon for the region as a whole. Ankara's move is expected to escalate tensions after the European Union called on it to stop its "illegal drilling activities."

The search for marine wealth has rekindled dormant rivalries between the EU and Turkey, with the issue of Cyprus once again pitting the former prospective member against the union.

This comes amid continued tensions between Turkey and its NATO allies over apparently closer links with Russia.