EP discussieert met Ashton over spanningen tussen Turkije en Cyprus (en)

Parliament will hold a debate following a statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton i on Tuesday evening on the dispute between Turkey and Cyprus over oil and gas exploration, which was raised by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan at the UN General Assembly last week.

MEPs are increasingly concerned at the growing tensions between EU candidate-country Turkey and EU Member State Cyprus since Turkey sent a ship on Friday to drill for gas and oil in waters to the north of the divided island of Cyprus, after the Government of the Republic of Cyprus announced last Tuesday that drilling for gas had begun in waters to the south east. Turkey has questioned the right of Cyprus to issue contracts for natural gas drilling.