Statement by the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell on renewed drilling activities by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean

Today’s announcement by Turkey of renewed drilling activities by the Yavuz vessel in a maritime zone which has been delineated by Cyprus and Egypt regrettably fuels further tensions and insecurity in the Eastern Mediterranean.

This action runs counter and undermines efforts to resume dialogue and negotiations, and to pursue immediate de-escalation, which is the only path towards stability and lasting solutions, as reiterated by EU Foreign Ministers last Friday.

I call on the Turkish authorities to end these activities immediately and to engage fully and in good faith in a broad dialogue with the European Union.