Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 May / Trend R.Hafizoglu /
Turkey will cease cooperation with the companies operating in Cyprus, Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said, Sabah newspaper reported on Saturday.
According to the minister, exploration of hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean is the right of the two sides - Cyprus and Northern Cyprus.
Earlier, in February of this year, Turkey ceased cooperation with the Italian company Eni over its partnership with Cyprus in the field of hydrocarbon exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources said the company was excluded from participation in the construction of the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline, where Eni was collaborating with the Turkish company Çalık Holding.
Earlier, Ankara has repeatedly warned about the possibility of termination of cooperation with Eni, given it does not suspend cooperation with Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. Ankara considers that the conduct of work in the special economic zone is contrary to international law.
After Nicosia started the work in September 2011 on the development of the shelf off the coast of the island divided into Greek and Turkish parts, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey together with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will start to explore for oil and gas in a "special economic zone" of the Northern Cyprus.
Turkey has repeatedly expressed its categorical opposition to the works, demanding to cancel plans for the development of hydrocarbons by Cyprus.