Todays Zaman: Tension increases in Eastern Mediterranean over Cyprus gas

While the Turkish Navy warned over the weekend that rules of engagement will be applied if Turkey comes across any threat from foreign warships in the Eastern Mediterranean amid rising tension in the region, Turkish Cypriots believe the tension created around the island of Cyprus is artificial and being used as an excuse in order to leave the negotiation table by Greek Cypriots.

“We believe the tension created in the Eastern Mediterranean around the island of Cyprus is an artificial one, deliberately created by the Greek Cypriot side in order to leave the negotiation table without any penalty and with the intention to lay the responsibility, to shift the blame for the suspension of the negotiations onto the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey,” Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) President Derviş Eroğlu's special adviser and spokesperson Osman Ertuğ told Today's Zaman on Monday.

While speaking to journalists during a naval exercise Turkey hosted on Sunday, Turkish Naval Forces Commander Adm. Bülent Bostanoğlu said that, in the event of a violation committed by foreign naval vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish Naval Forces are fully authorized to act within the rules of engagement, another sign of rising tension in the region over oil and natural gas research around the ethnically divided island of Cyprus.
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