Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed, on Friday, his country's readiness for dialogue with Egypt and Greece over the Eastern Mediterranean disputing issues.
The European Union threatened that it may impose sanctions on Ankara due to Turkish exploration for gas in the disputed areas with Cyprus and Greece.
"We have no objection to dialogue with Egypt,” Erdogan said in press statements.
He added that holding intelligence talks with Egypt is a different and possible matter and there is nothing to prevent, revealing that “Egypt’s deal with Greece saddened us."
"We are ready for dialogue with Greece in a third country or via video,” Erdogan added.
“I don’t mind meeting with the Greek prime minister. The important question is that: what we shall discuss and within which framework?” the Turkish president wondered.
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Turkish vessel[/caption]
Turkey had previously considered the Egyptian-Greek maritime border demarcation agreement, signed in early August in Cairo, to be invalid, noting that it "also violates Libyan maritime rights."
Late last month, the Greek parliament ratified this bilateral agreement with Egypt, amid escalating tensions between Ankara and Athens.
Turkey and Greece are members of NATO, fighting on sea areas rich in gas and oil.
The Turkish moves to explore for gas in the eastern The Mediterranean have sparked great criticism from Greece, Cyprus and Egypt.
It’s expected that the European Union will discuss, during the upcoming summit, the issue of imposing sanctions on Turkey in response to its sending exploration vessels and warships to areas in the eastern Mediterranean claimed by Greece and Cyprus.
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