The Greek Foreign Ministry has described Ankara’s decision to grant a license to the Turkish National Oil Company to explore natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean as a “provocation”.
According to Russia Today, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in a statement on Monday that this step is part of a series of illegal measures taken by Turkey to violate the sovereign rights of Greece.
Dendias noted that the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) that were signed in 2019 between Turkey and the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) are legally void.
He stressed Greece’s readiness to confront this provocation if Turkey attempts to implement it.
The Turkish government granted the state-owned oil company ‘TPAO’ a license to explore for gas in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey signed two MoUs on defense and maritime exploration in Mediterranean with the UN-recognised GNA.
The maritime border agreement was rejected by several countries such as Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus.
They described it as an illegal act that violated the sovereignty of other Mediterranean states.