Turkey on Tuesday issued a fresh navigational warning effectively extending a blockade that prevents exploratory drilling for natural gas by Italian energy firm ENI inside the island’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The new warning reserves the same area for military training and gunnery exercises from February 22 until March 10. The previous Navtex was due to expire on Thursday.
Some 10 days ago, Turkish warships, claiming to be participating in military drills in waters off the east of the island, stopped the Saipem 12000 drillship en route to Cuttlefish, a site in block 3 where it was scheduled to drill an exploratory gas well.
Since then, the drillship has been immobilized at a distance of approximately 50km from the target site.
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