Nicosia Source: No Turkish Obstruction of Fugro Gauss Research Vessel

There was no harassment or attempt to obstruct the Gibraltar-flagged research vessel Fugro Gauss by Turkish forces, a government source in Nicosia said on Thursday, in response to same-day Turkish media reports citing the Turkish defense ministry.

According to a report by state broadcaster ERT from Cyprus, which quotes the source, the only development was an “anti-NAVTEX” issued by Ankara, considered by the internationally recognized Cyprus government as illegal.

Earlier, Nicosia had issued a NAVTEX following a request by a foreign company to conduct geological research in Cyprus’ EEZ, and as part of the laying of a fiber optics cable.

The same source, according to the ERT dispatch, merely referred to its “well-known and legally baseless” claims regarding a “Turkish continental shelf” in the eastern Mediterranean.

Along the same lines, the private company conducting the research has not filed any complaint with Cypriot authorities, while the latter are in constant communication with the vessel.

The specific project is considered as regional, without a Cypriot participation or interests, but merely being laid on the seafloor within Cyprus’ EEZ.

Countries participating in the project are Greece, Saudi Arabia, the UK and Germany.

According to a report in the Turkish mass daily Milliyet, as well as other Turkish media outlets, Turkish vessels prevented the Fugro Gauss from conducting surveys on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus in an area of the eastern Mediterranean that Ankara considers to be its continental shelf.

On the surface, Ankara responded to the NAVTEX issued by Nicosia with a counter-NAVTEX, declaring the initial notification invalid and without legal force.

Source: Tovima.com