Turkey hits out after rivals unite in gas row
Greece, Cyprus, Egypt spoke of "imperialist fantasies" of Ankara
22 October, 13:58They denounced Turkey's "unilateral provocations" over energy exploration in disputed waters of the eastern Mediterranean and its role in war-torn Libya and Syria. The Turkish foreign ministry said there would be no solution to problems in the region unless the countries involved changed their "maximalist and hostile policies". "We reject the statement which contains groundless accusations and allegations against our country as a whole," the foreign ministry said in a statement. In defiance of warnings from Western countries, Turkey extended a gas exploration mission by its Oruc Reis research vessel in the eastern Mediterranean until October 27. The Oruc Reis escorted by military navy ships has become the symbol of Ankara's appetite for natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean, where recent discoveries have triggered a rush for the resource.
(ANSA-AFP).