Greece warns Turkey of legal action over warship move

ATHENS – Anadolu Agency

Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos. AFP Photo

Greece may resort to legal action against Turkey for allegedly violating the international sea law, Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on Nov. 12.

Venizelos made the remarks at the Greek Parliament in Athens. He was referring to Turkey’s recent move to send a warship to monitor a Greek Cypriot oil-and-gas exploration mission off the coast of Cyprus. 
   
Turkey and the government of Turkish Cyprus have strongly opposed any unilateral move by the Greek Cypriot administration to explore any hydrocarbon resources around the island, saying its natural resources should be exploited in a fair manner under a united Cyprus. Venizelos said the political reaction from the Greek side might take the form of a legal course of action.

“Our political reaction may have a legal aspect to it,” he said. Venizelos also said Turkey and Greece should continue to maintain contact.

The Greek Cypriot administration suspended talks over the divided island on Oct. 7.

Negotiations between the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots resumed after a two-year pause in February 2013. The previous round of talks collapsed partly because of the impact of the Eurozone debt crisis on the government in Nicosia.