Ankara, Turkey. Turkish MP Ayse Bohurler said joint energy projects involving Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and Israel were attempts to confine Turkey to its continental shelf. She said Ankara was monitoring developments and would respond with action if “deemed necessary.”
Bohurler’s comments on regional alliances
Speaking on Haberturk on Wednesday, Bohurler, a member of President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, said Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and Israel had formed alliances in the Eastern Mediterranean. She argued that related agreements included efforts aimed at preventing Turkish activity and limiting Turkey’s influence in the region.
Reference to Oruc Reis deployment
Bohurler recalled Turkey’s deployment of the research vessel Oruc Reis in 2019, saying it was an exercise of Turkey’s sovereign rights that shaped its foreign policy.
Claims about oil transportation routes
Bohurler also claimed that the Black Sea and Aegean islands were being used to transport Russian oil to the Mediterranean and Aegean.
Opposition response on exploration activity
After Bohurler’s appearance, former CHP MP Yanki Bagcioglu said Turkey had not carried out any activities in “critical areas” of the Eastern Mediterranean since December 2020. He said it was essential for national interests that state operations, including exploration and drilling, be carried out in these areas and that Turkey’s presence be demonstrated.
Background on Oruc Reis
Oruc Reis took centre stage during disputes between Cyprus and Turkey over EEZ issues and was last reported to have begun new gas searches in the Eastern Mediterranean in 2022.
What developments do you think will shape Turkey’s next steps in the Eastern Mediterranean?
