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Turkey has rejected the threat of an EU embargo on Ankara for its search for energy resources in the disputed eastern Mediterranean. A statement issued by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Friday (October 2) said it was not constructive to continue to use the language of sanctions. However, Turkey’s statement also welcomed the positive elements of the EU statement. Qatar-based Al Jazeera reports.
Disputes with Greece and Cyprus erupted when Turkey began exploring energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean last month. The two EU member states make the search for Turkey illegal. The president of the European Commission warned Turkey in a statement after an EU meeting on Thursday. “If illegal activities are not stopped, sanctions will be imposed on Ankara,” he said.
“The EU must now realize that there is no point in using such language,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday in response to the EU threat.
The EU statement further said that if Turkey promises to continue the talks in good faith and refrain from taking unilateral measures, Ankara will have the opportunity for closer communication and better trade with the alliance.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry statement welcomed the “positive elements” in the EU statement. That said, some parts of the EU statement are false. The statement added that the EU statement also showed how interested some countries are in developing relations with Turkey. The Turkish statement also cited Greece and Cyprus as hostages to EU-Turkey relations.
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