{"id":33347,"date":"2019-07-16T05:23:07","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T05:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/16\/eu-hits-nato-ally-turkey-with-sanctions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:40:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:40:38","slug":"eu-hits-nato-ally-turkey-with-sanctions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/07\/16\/eu-hits-nato-ally-turkey-with-sanctions\/","title":{"rendered":"EU hits NATO ally Turkey with sanctions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BRUSSELS \u2014 European Union foreign ministers on Monday turned up the pressure on Turkey after approving an initial batch of sanctions against the country over its drilling for gas in waters<\/a> where EU member Cyprus has exclusive economic rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministers said in a statement that in light of Turkey\u2019s \u201ccontinued and new illegal drilling activities,\u201d they were suspending talks on an air transport agreement and would call on the European Investment Bank<\/a> to \u201creview\u201d it\u2019s lending to the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also backed a proposal by the EU’s executive branch to reduce financial assistance to Turkey for next year. The ministers warned that additional “targeted measures” were being worked on to penalize Turkey, which started negotiations to join the EU in 2005.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey\u2019s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu<\/a> issued his own warning last week that his country would step up drilling activities off Cyprus if the EU moved ahead with sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two Turkish vessels escorted by warships are drilling for gas on either end of ethnically divided Cyprus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On June 20, a Turkish police officer patrolled the dock in front of the drilling ship Yavuz at the port of Dilovasi. (Lefteris Pitarakis\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The EU ministers repeated the \u201cserious immediate negative impact\u201d that Turkey\u2019s illegal actions are having on EU-Turkey relations and called on Ankara to respect Cyprus\u2019 sovereign rights in line with international law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also welcomed the Cypriot government’s invitation to Turkey to negotiate the borders of their respective exclusive economic zones and continental shelf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey doesn\u2019t recognize Cyprus as a state and claims 44 percent of Cyprus\u2019 exclusive economic zone as its own, according to Cyprus government officials. Turkish Cypriots in the east Mediterranean island nation\u2019s breakaway north claim another 25 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup by supporters of union with Greece. A Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence is recognized only by Turkey, which keeps more than 35,000 troops in the breakaway north. Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, but only the internationally recognized south enjoys full membership benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey contends that it’s protecting its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots to the area’s hydrocarbon deposits. Cypriot officials, however, accuse Turkey of using the minority Turkish Cypriots in order to pursue its goal of exerting control over the eastern Mediterranean region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cypriot government says it will take legal action against any oil and gas companies supporting Turkish vessels in any repeat attempt to drill for gas. Cyprus has already issued around 20 international arrest warrants against three international companies assisting one of the two Turkish vessels now drilling 42 miles (68 kilometers) off the island’s west coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cyprus government has licensed energy companies including ExxonMobil, France’s Total and Italy’s Eni to carry out gas drilling in blocks, or areas, off the island’s southern coastline. At least three significant gas deposits have so far been discovered there.<\/p>\n\n\n\t