Diplomats – including a Greek Embassy official – briefed by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry over plans to drill for oil and gas in the East Mediterranean and Aegean were shown maps that violated the waters of Greece and Cyprus.

Sources that weren’t named told Kathimerini that the presentation was met with skepticism from by the foreign diplomats, including Israeli and Egyptian officials, as Turkey is sending a second ship into Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to look for energy.

During the briefing given by Cagatay Erciyes, Acting Director General of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, it was alleged the operations to drill in the Continental Shelf – including areas claimed by Greece and Cyprus – are within Turkey’s drilling rights.

Turkey’s growing expansionism is expected to be discussed during a meeting May 15 between Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Helsinki on the sidelines of a Council of Europe ministerial meeting.