Italy and France sent a warning to Turkey about the Cypriot gas drilling dispute, Euractiv reports. Italian Minister of Defence Roberta Pinotti visited Cyprus and included statements about French warships in the area as a warning to Turkey. Turkey doesn’t recognize the Cypriot right of drilling in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) after peace talks between Turkish and Greek sides of the nation fell apart in early July. Approximately 4k bcm of natural gas have been found in Eastern Mediterranean EEZs in the last few years, and exploration has increased lately. Previous analysis has claimed the Turkish government is using the issue to score political points locally and that this play is disrupting exploration in the entire region.

Tags: