Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned Ambassador Gaby Levy for a sharp rebuke.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned Ambassador Gaby Levy for a sharp rebuke over an offshore gas and oil exploration agreement that Israel and Cyprus signed Friday, “IDF Radio" (Galei Zahal) and other media outlets reported. Minister of National Infrastructures Uzi Landau and Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Markos Kyprianou signed the agreement delineating the two countries' exclusive economic zones.
Turkey does not recognize the Cypriot government, and is the only country to recognize the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The summons came as Israel is trying to rebuild relations with Turkey, and after Turkey sent firefighters to help battle the Carmel fire earlier this month.
Friday's agreement enables Israel and Cyprus to pursue development of their energy sources in the deepwater East Mediterranean Basin. Cyprus has already signed similar agreements with Egypt and Lebanon, and Turkey has asked both those countries to put the agreements on hold.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 20, 2010
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