Turkey slams EU statement, says open to talks with Greece

Turkey slammed a statement by European Union Mediterranean states on Friday, saying the comments it made were biased and "detached from reality", but added Ankara was still open to unconditional talks with Greece.

Leaders of seven southern European countries on Thursday urged Turkey to end “unilateral and illegal activities” in the eastern Mediterranean and resume dialogue to ease tensions in the region.

Heads of states and government of France, Greece, Greek Cypriot Administration, Malta, Italy, Spain and Portugal gathered in Corsica.

In their final statement, leaders reaffirmed their “full support and solidarity" with GCA and Greece who they say are facing Turkey's “confrontational actions.”

Leaders warned that “in absence of progress in engaging Turkey into a dialogue and unless it ends its unilateral activities, the EU is ready to develop a list of further restrictive measures" at a summit later this month.

The seven EU Mediterranean states said the bloc will draw up a list of new sanctions on Turkey at the end of September unless Ankara negotiates to resolve the dispute with Greece and Cyprus.

Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement that Greece needed to "unconditionally sit at the negotiating table with Turkey" in order to achieve dialogue and cooperation in the region, adding Athens needed to withdraw its military ships from around Turkey's Oruc Reis survey vessel in order to de-escalate tensions. 

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Joint military drills

A joint military exercise by the forces of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is being successfully carried out, according to Turkey's National Defence Ministry.

The Martyr Captain Cengiz Topel Mediterranean Storm-2020 Exercise is being conducted amid rising tensions between Turkey and Greece over drilling for natural resources in the east Mediterranean.

Greece has disputed Turkey's energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, trying to box in Turkish maritime territory based on small islands near the Turkish coast.

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Pompeo to visit Cyprus

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday he will visit Cyprus to seek a peaceful solution to the tension.

Pompeo will hold talks in Cyprus on Saturday after a trip to Doha where he will help inaugurate long-awaited talks between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban.

The top US diplomat said his trip to Cyprus would complement phone calls by President Donald Trump with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The dispute "has to be resolved in a way that's diplomatic and peaceful," Pompeo told reporters on his plane.

"So I'll be working on that project as well, trying to make sure that I understand the risks that are associated from the people of Cyprus' perspective," he said.

"We hope there will be real conversations and we hope the military assets that are there will be withdrawn so that these conversations can take place," Pompeo said.

Pompeo cancelled a trip planned to Cyprus earlier this year as tensions soared between the United States and Iran.

Turkey – the country with the longest coastline on the Mediterranean – has sent out drill ships to explore for energy on its continental shelf, saying that both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have rights in the region.

Dialogue for sharing these resources fairly would be win-win for all sides, say Turkish officials.

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