Issued on:
France and Cyprus are conducting naval maneuvers off Cyprus as the east Mediterranean island nation is embroiled in a tense dispute with Turkey over offshore gas drilling.
Advertising
Read more
Two French frigates heading to Syria plan to take part in "routine" exercises in Cypriot waters this weekend, a French military spokesman, Col. Frederic Barbry, said Saturday.
One ship arrived Thursday and the other is due to arrive Sunday. France, part of the U.S.-led military coalition, maintains a naval presence off the coast of Syria for monitoring and coordination purposes, Barbry said.
The maneuvers come as a Turkish drill ship, which is escorted by warships, is poised to start drilling inside waters where Cyprus has licensed French energy company Total and Italian partner Eni to explore for gas.
Another warship-escorted Turkish drill ship began drilling in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone in June. The European Union and other countries have condemned Turkey's gas search inside Cypriot waters as illegal.
French Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted Saturday that the joint exercises would enable Cyprus to "assume its responsibilities in its sovereign waters."
Turkey, which doesn't recognize the statehood of Cyprus, has insisted it's acting to protect its economic interests and those of breakaway Turkish Cypriots in the north of the ethnically diviRead More – Source
