Cypriot, Russian Senior Diplomats Discussed Turkish Mediterranean Drilling

Permanent Secretary of the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tasos Tzionis told Sputnik that he and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko discussed Turkey's drilling for hydrocarbons in the Cyprus EEZ, which Cyprus views as illegal

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th October, 2019) Permanent Secretary of the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tasos Tzionis told Sputnik that he and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko discussed Turkey's drilling for hydrocarbons in the Cyprus EEZ, which Cyprus views as illegal.

"We had a very good meeting with Deputy [Foreign] Minister Alexander Grushko, who I know for many years. We reviewed the bilateral relations. We have rich bilateral relations. And also [we discussed] regional problems and we placed a lot of emphasis on the Cyprus problem, the role of Turkey in our exclusive economic zone � illegal drillings, and the situation that is developing now in Syria," Tzionis said, referring to Ankara's operation in northeastern Syria.

Earlier in the day, EU foreign ministers agreed to set up a framework for sanctions against people or companies involved in Turkey's drilling activity in the Mediterranean Sea.

The island is de facto split between two communities, with the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" is officially recognized only by Ankara.