Erdogan threatens Cyprus over offshore drilling

Turkey could begin offshore oil and gas exploration operations in agreement with Turkish Cyprus following similar moves by Greek Cyprus, Israel and Greece, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday amid an escalating dispute over rights to hydrocarbon reserves in eastern Mediterranean. Turkey says the Greek Cypriot drilling can derail long-running talks to reunify the island. "Currently, we also took this step with the Republic of Northern Cyprus. And in a very short time, possibly this week, we might start working in this exclusive economic region," Erdogan told a news conference before departing to the United States. Erdogan said the Turkish military will monitor activity in the area using its air force, frigates and gunboats. The Greek Cyprus administration announced earlier yesterday that it started exploratory drilling for oil and gas off the coast of Cyprus, though the area is the center of a dispute with Turkey. Turkey opposed to an agreement signed last year by the Greek Cyprus administration and Israel over an exclusive economic zone that set maritime borders and rights to explore natural resources in eastern Mediterranean.