Hours only after the political leadership of Cyprus met to exchange views on Turkey’s latest provocations within the island’s Exclusive Economic Zone, Ankara issued on Tuesday evening a new Navtex.
The new Navtex reserves an area inside EU-member Cyprus’ EEZ for oil and gas exploration.
The Barbaros seismic research vessel is set to explore inside Blocks 2,3 and partly 13 of Cyprus’ EEZ.
The Navtex, which is the international maritime safety system, concerns a sea area south and southeast of Famagusta and will be valid from Tuesday until September 20.
Concern is heightened by the fact that Ankara is pursuing polarisation options on all fronts in the Eastern Mediterranean over the past few weeks.
Cyprus is divided since a 1974 invasion by Turkey which still maintains troops in the northern part of the Republic in full violation of international law and order.
Turkey on numerous occasions has violated the territorial integrity of Cyprus, by carrying out research within the divided island’s EEZ.
