Turkey ready for every possibility in East Med – Erdogan

Istanbul, Sep 6 (IANS): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is prepared for every possibility and consequence regarding the Eastern Mediterranean issue.

“We are ready for every possibility and every consequence,” Erdogan said on Saturday at the opening ceremony of a hospital in Istanbul, noting Turkey “has the political, economic, and military power to tear away immoral maps and documents imposed by others.”

Turkey and its NATO ally Greece have long been at odds over the energy resources in the region as Ankara has been opposing the drilling efforts of several countries without its involvement, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday that Greece rejected a NATO initiative, which aimed to ease the tension in the disputed waters despite Turkey’s approval.

Turkey earlier dispatched its seismic survey vessel Oruc Reis, escorted by Turkish warships, to the region after Greece and Egypt signed a maritime border agreement.