Jeremy Hunt, the Head of the UK‘s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, stated on Thursday that Britain is concerned by Turkey‘s recent actions off the coast of Cyprus.
The British Foreign Minister notes in a Tweet that London is ”concerned by Turkey’s announcement to begin drilling in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone.”
Concerned by Turkey’s announcement to begin drilling in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone. This situation MUST be deescalated and all parties show restraint. Hydrocarbons development should benefit all Cypriots and support a settlement
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) May 9, 2019
Foreign Minister Hunt emphasized particularly that ”this situation MUST be de-escalated and all parties show restraint.”
The British diplomat said that hydrocarbon development should benefit all Cypriots and support a settlement for the politically divided island.
Hunt’s voice has joined those of other senior British politicians, who either stridently or in a more restrained way, have condemned Ankara’s illegal actions in the eastern Mediterranean.
In a statement distributed on Wednesday to the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, the Labour Party’s Shadow Peace and Disarmament Minister Fabian Hamilton, declared:
”The announced intentions of Turkey to carry out exploration and drilling in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are wholly unacceptable. Sending in a drill ship to the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus is an irresponsible act of aggression that cannot be justified.”