NEWS

Ankara warns against Cyprus drilling

Turkey issued a warning on Friday that if companies seeking a license to drill for oil deposits off Cyprus do not withdraw their bids, they ?will not be included in energy projects in Turkey in the future,? according to reports.

?We call on the countries concerned and the oil companies to act with common sense, not to engage in activities in maritime fields that are under dispute… and to withdraw from the bidding,? the statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, adding, ?Turkey will not allow any activity in these fields.?

Ten consortia and five companies from 15 countries have submitted bids to drill for gas and oil off the coast of the divided island. According to Ankara, some of the 12 fields in question ?conflict? with Turkey?s continental shelf, while others overlap areas that Turkey and the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus plan to explore.

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