Turkey starts building military establishment near Kardak - Report

During the construction work, a coast guard board has been waiting in front of the Çavuş Islet
Wednesday, 14 February 2018 22:24

Ankara is planning to build a military establishment on Çavuş Islet in the Aegean Sea, only one mile away from the Kardak islets, after the escalating tension between Turkish and Greek coast guard boats.

Heavy construction types of equipment have started working on February 14. During the construction work, a coast guard board has been waiting in front of the Çavuş Islet.

On Tuesday, the Greek Foreign Ministry said it had lodged a protest with Turkey following an incident near the disputed islets of Kardak, also known as Imia, in the Aegean Sea, where a Turkish boat collided with a Greek coastguard ship. Later in the day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed that the incident took place and claimed that Greece was responsible for the incident.

Uninhabited Kardak islets lie just seven kilometres (4.5 miles) from the Turkish port of Bodrum.

CYPRUS GAS

Recently, gas reserves off the island of Cyprus have also triggered tension between Greek and Turkish officials. It came as EU President Donald Tusk on Tuesday urged Turkey to "avoid threats or actions against any EU member" after Turkish warships blocked an Italian drilling vessel seeking to begin exploration for gas off Cyprus.

 

Erdoğan issued a warning Tuesday to neighbouring Greece, Cyprus and international companies exploring for gas in the eastern Mediterranean not to "step out of line" and encroach on Turkey's rights.

Turkey opposes the drilling, which it says disregards the rights of breakaway Turkish Cypriots. It also claims as its own part of the area Cyprus has designated for exploratory drilling.