Erdoğan: Any attack on Turkey's drillship will cost dearly

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Any attack on Turkey's vessels engaged in energy exploration along its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean will "cost dearly," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.

"We said before that if you attack our Oruç Reis [drillship] you will pay a high price, and today they got their first response," said Erdoğan, speaking at an event marking the 19th anniversary of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) last night (August 13). He did not elaborate further.

Erdoğan's remarks came amid growing tensions in the region after Greece sent its warships to the area in the wake of signing a controversial maritime deal with Egypt.

Phone calls with Merkel and Michel

Earlier in the day, Erdoğan and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed regional developments, according to a statement by the Presidency's Communications Directorate.

During the phone call, Erdoğan stressed that Turkey believes in solving problems in the Eastern Mediterranean within the framework of international law based on dialogue and equity.

Also speaking on the phone today with European Council President Charles Michel, Erdoğan discussed recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Communications Directorate announced separately.

The conversations came ahead of today'S extraordinary European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting to address recent tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Earlier this week, Turkey resumed energy exploration in the region after Greece and Egypt signed a maritime delimitation deal.

The agreement came a day after Ankara said it would postpone its oil and gas exploration as a goodwill gesture.

After declaring the deal "null and void," Turkey authorized the Oruc Reis research ship to continue its activities in an area "within the country's continental shelf."

The ship is stated to continue the two-week mission until August 23 along with the ships Cengiz Han and Ataman. (EKN/VK)