Turkey reacted angrily to the natural gas deal that Cyprus signed recently. The Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades met with ExxonMobil’s representatives, a move which triggered a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, that “the Greek-Cypriots shouldn’t behave as if theyare the sole owners of the island” adding that all moves regarding the exploitation of the hydrocarbons should be halted.

The Turkish representative of the Foreign Ministry stated that “Turkey will take all the necessary steps in order to protect its interests in the Eastern Mediteranean as well as the rights of the Turkish-Cypriots”.